Nutrition & Diet

HEALTHY HOLIDAY SIDE DISHES

ARUGULA SALAD WITH POMEGRANATE AND TOASTED PECANS

Instead of relying on fat for flavor, this fresh side dish uses varied tastes and textures to

impress guests: crisp, peppery arugula; tart, crunchy pomegranate seeds; and rich, slightly

sweet pecans. It's nutritious, too, with pecans contributing monosaturated fat (the good kind) and pomegranates providing a good dose of fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants.

- Ingredients -

1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 freshly ground pepper
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium bunches arugula, rinsed well and thick stems removed
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, from 1 medium pomegranate

- Preparation -

In medium nonreactive bowl, whisk together vinegars, salt, and pepper. Gradually drizzle in olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Toss arugula with just enough vinaigrette to coat. Sprinkle with pecans and pomegranate seeds and serve.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH ORANGE VINAIGRETTE

- Ingredients –

1 tablespoon fresh grated orange zest
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 pounds asparagus, trimmed
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 450

- Preparation –

In a small bowl, whisk together zest, juice, shallots, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Place asparagus on a large baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Season with remaining salt and pepper - toss well to coat. Arrange so the spears lay in an even layer.

Bake 5 minutes and stir well - return for 5 more minutes. Remove and drizzle with juice mixture. Toss well to coat. Place back in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until still crisp tender.

THYME-ROASTED SWEET POTATOES

This slightly spicy, moist side dish is both deeply satisfying and nutritious. Sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates and fiber, giving them a low glycemic index (this means that they slow the body's absorption of sugar and help regulate blood-sugar levels).

- Ingredients -

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch-thick rounds
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup fresh thyme leaves, plus 6 thyme sprigs for garnish
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

- Preparation -

Preheat oven to 450°F. In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and toss. Arrange potato slices in single layer on heavyweight rimmed baking sheet or in 13x9-inch baking dish. Place on top rack of oven and roast until tender and slightly browned, about 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with thyme sprigs.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

GINGER-PUMPKIN SOUFFLE

Watch out, pumpkin pie! This dessert is delicious even without a caloric crust. It's a light and flavorful soufflé consisting mostly of egg whites, a great source of high-quality protein. To further up the health quotient, naturally rich but low-calorie unsweetened soy milk is used in place of whole milk.

- Ingredients -

1 1/2 cups unsweetened soymilk, not low- or no-fat
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
4 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup solid-pack canned pumpkin
8 large egg whites

- Preparation -

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 8 6-ounce ramekins. In medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, bring soy milk to boil. Add ginger, remove pan from heat, cover, and let steep 30 minutes. Strain soy milk, discarding ginger, and set aside. In large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 6 tablespoons of sugar. Whisk in flour until well combined. Gradually add hot milk, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Return yolk mixture to saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until custard boils and thickens enough to coat back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl, whisk in pumpkin purée, and set aside. Using electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg whites until foamy and slightly opaque. With mixer running, add remaining 6 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, then beat until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into pumpkin mixture to lighten, then add mixture to remaining whites, folding in gently but thoroughly. Spoon batter into ramekins, filling almost to top, and lightly run finger around inside rim to create a "moat." Place ramekins in large baking pan. Place baking pan on middle oven rack and add hot water around ramekins to depth of 1 inch. Bake until soufflés have risen well above rim and tops are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 individual soufflés.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH-BARTLETT PEAR SOUP

- Ingredients -

3 Tbs. olive oil

2 medium leeks, white and tender green parts finely chopped (3 cups)

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (2 lb.)

3 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces (11/2 lb.)

5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 14-oz. can light coconut milk

1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

Pumpkin seeds for garnish, optional

- Preparation –

Serves 6

HEALTHY CRANBERRY SAUCE

- Ingredients -

4 c cranberries, frozen or fresh
3 c water
2 c raisins
1/2 c honey
4 T arrowroot

- Preparation -

• Place cranberries, 2 /2 c of water, honey and raisins into sauce pan and bring to a boil. Lower flame and simmer about 10 minutes.

• Dilute the arrowroot in the remaining 1/2 c cold water. Drizzle diluted arrowroot into simmering cranberries stirring well the entire time. It is very important to stir vigorously as you pour in the   arrowroot, otherwise you will get very unappetizing lumps.

• Simmer for another 5 minutes. Do not overcook or boil or the arrowroot will loose its thickening power.
• Pour into serving bowl and serve hot