Salmon: Second Time Around

What do you do with one leftover grilled salmon steak? Who in the family gets to eat it the next day? This was the dinnertime dilemma Liz and her family faced last night. Well, to be fair, Liz took the leftover salmon, flaked it up and then used it in a simple pasta dish. This quick, toss-together dinner was a huge hit with everyone at the table (Josh missed out because he's at sleep-away camp for a month). Though we haven't tried this yet with a pouch or can of boneless, skinless pink salmon, we suspect it would work just fine.

Bowtie Pasta with Salmon & Peas
Makes 4 Servings

8 ounces dried bowtie pasta
1 cooked salmon steak (6 to 8 ounces), flaked
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup 1% lowfat milk
1/2 cup all-natural chicken broth
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to the saucepan.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the canola oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Whisk the milk and broth slowly into the flour mixture. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer and stir gently until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the cheese, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Toss the salmon and peas in with the pasta. Pour the cheese sauce on top, heat through, and serve.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 410 calories, 11g total fat (3g saturated, 1.0g omega-3), 250mg sodium, 50g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 27g protein, 20% vitamin A, 15% calcium, 10% iron

Liz, being the best co-author in the world, was kind enough to save Josh's portion for Janice, Don and the kids to try. Check back later to see what the Bissex gang thought of the recipe.

Beans are a Vegetable: Who Knew?

Many people are surprised to learn that beans are actually a vegetable. Whether it's black, pinto, cannellini, or garbanzo beans, they're a good source of fiber, protein, iron, potassium and folate. Beans are versatile and can be added to soups, salads, pasta dishes, salsas, dips ... even desserts! Here's a recipe featuring beans that we created just this week.

Farfalle Salad with Chick Peas & Broccoli
Makes 5 to 6 Servings

8 ounces dried farfalle pasta
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
One 7 3/4-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Two to three minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli. Bring back to a boil and cook until the pasta is done. Drain and place in a large bowl.

2. While the pasta is still warm, add the tomatoes, chickpeas, feta cheese, salad dressing, and basil and stir to combine. Serve warm or refrigerate for a cold salad. Garnish with basil leaves as desired.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 280 calories, 5g fat (2.5g saturated, 0.3g omega-3), 350g sodium, 42g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 11g protein, 20% vitamin A, 45% vitamin C, 10% calcium, 10% iron

* Click here for printer-friendly version

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Cooking Videos While You Wait

Last week while Janice endured the bitter cold springtime weather here in Boston, Liz got on a plane and hightailed it down to Atlanta where the sun was shining and the flowers blooming. Though her trip was not for pleasure, it was a nice escape from the icy grip of New England, albeit for just one day. The reason for Liz's sojourn to the south: a video shoot for EverWell, a TV show that now airs in doctor's office waiting rooms nationwide. Liz is the show's cooking guru, showing viewers how to whip up fast and healthy meals, snacks and desserts. For the shoot, she demonstrated four recipes: Garden Turkey Meatballs (see recipe below), Grab-and-Go Breakfast Bars, Apple Butterscotch Cake, and Shrimp & Mango Rice Salad.

To watch some of her other EverWell cooking segments -- Teriyaki Salmon in Foil, Tuscan Minestrone Soup, Confetti Chicken Wraps, and Apple Blueberry Walnut Crisp -- simply click here.

Garden Turkey Meatballs
Makes about 24 meatballs (6 Servings)

This simple weeknight dish is packed with great taste and great nutrition. Serve over spaghetti (we like Barilla Plus whole wheat blend pasta) and dinner is served!

1 pound ground turkey breast
2 to 3 medium carrots (6 ounces), peeled and finely grated (about 2/3 cup)
1 large omega-3 egg
1/2 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning or 1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
One 26-ounce jar pasta sauce

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Combine the turkey, carrots, egg, oats, Parmesan cheese, flaxseed, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix until ingredients are just combined. Shape the meat mixture into twenty four 1 ½-inch balls. Place them on the baking sheet and cook until lightly browned, 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place the pasta sauce in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cover and bring to a simmer. When the turkey meatballs come out of the oven, add them to the sauce, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, about 20 minutes.

Nutrition Information per Serving:
230 calories, 10g fat (3g saturated; 0.5g omega-3), 730mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 22g protein, 60% vitamin A, 10% vitamin C, 10% calcium, 15% iron

Pasta Envy

Last week, Liz stopped by her friend Didi's house for a quick visit. Didi (whose family owns the amazing Wilson Farms in Lexington, MA) was in the middle of making her family's favorite dinner: penne pasta with broccoli, chicken, and a creamy cheese sauce. Being the nosey neighbor that she is, Liz just "had to have the recipe."

Once Didi shared the recipe, we hit the kitchen and created our very own Meal Makeover Mom version (minus the cream of course). Our recipe is sure to be a huge hit with your kids because it features pasta (and who doesn’t love pasta), broccoli, and chicken pieces that look and taste like tenders. Given how much Josh, Simon, Carolyn and Leah (our clan) loved this dish, we're confident yours will love it too. If you're cooking for a crowd, you can easily double the recipe.

Cheesy Penne with Chicken & Broccoli

Makes 4 to 5 Servings

8 ounces dried penne pasta

4 to 5 cups medium-size broccoli florets

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4-inch x 2-inch pieces

1/3 cup seasoned dried bread crumbs

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup 1% lowfat milk

1/2 cup all-natural chicken broth

3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cook the pasta according to package directions. About two minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli and continue to cook until the pasta and broccoli are done (about 2 more minutes). Drain and return to the saucepan. While the pasta is cooking, coat the chicken in the bread crumbs. Place on a baking sheet and cook until golden and no longer pink in the middle, about 12 minutes. While the pasta is cooking and the chicken is in the oven, heat the canola oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Whisk the milk and broth slowly into the flour mixture. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer and stir gently until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the cheese, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the cooked pasta, broccoli, and chicken in a large serving bowl. Pour the cheese sauce on top and serve.

Nutrition Information per Serving:

450 calories, 11g total fat (3.5g saturated, 0.4g omega-3), 400mg sodium, 51g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 34g protein, 30% vitamin A, 80% vitamin C, 20% calcium, 15% iron

Tip #1: Freeze any leftover chicken broth in ice cube trays or plastic zip-top bags.

Tip #2: Add even more nutrition by switching to a whole wheat blend pasta (we like Barilla Plus).