As referenced in the August issue of Heart, Health & Nutrition

Sablefish with Braised Fennel

The slightly sweet, anise-like flavor of fennel is a perfect accompaniment for fish. You can use foil packets instead of parchment paper, but parchment produces a slightly better result.

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 large fennel bulb, cored and cut into thin strips
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 cup chicken stock or water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 8 ounces of fresh sablefish filets (2 4-ounce pieces)
• 2 tablespoon dry white wine or dry vermouth
• 2 wedges lemon
• sprigs of dill or tarragon

To prepare fennel

1. Heat oil and butter in skillet and add fennel.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, about ten minutes, until lightly browned.
3. Add vinegar to fennel and scrape up any browned bits from pan.
4. Add chicken stock or water to pan, cover and cook an additional 15 minutes, or until tender.
5. Drizzle with honey and season with salt and pepper.

To assemble packets

1. Fold a 12" square of parchment paper or foil in half and cut so that the sheet is roughly heart-shaped when unfolded.
2. Pile half the braised fennel in the center of the heart, to one side of the fold.
3. Top fennel with one piece of fish, a squeeze of lemon, one tablespoon of wine and a sprig of dill or tarragon.
4. Fold parchment in half over the filling and seal the edge by making in a series of small pleats, working your way around the edge toward the pointy end. Finish by twisting the point.
5. Place packets on baking sheet and bake at 375° F for 15 minutes.
6. Let rest for five minutes before cutting into packets and serving.

Nutritional Information

• Serving size: 1 packet
• Calories: 351
• Fat: 26 g
• Sat fat: 6 g
• Monounsaturated fat: 14 g
• Omega-3: 2,000 mg
• Protein: 17 g
• Carbohydrate: 13 g
• Fiber: 4 g

© 2006 Monica Reinagel

Breaded Sole, Flounder or Fluke

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Handful of fresh dill, chopped
2 fish fillets, 4-5 oz. each
1/4 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
Lemon slices
Fresh watercress for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the marinade by whisking together the olive oil, wine, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the chopped dill. Dip the fish fillets in marinade, coating both sides well, and then gently roll the fish in breadcrumbs. Place the fillets on a nonstick or lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes. If the fillets do not seem crispy and browned enough, turn the broiler on toward end of the cook time and broil for 1 minute to finish off. Serve with lemon slices and garnish with watercress.

Makes 2 servings

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories 310
Calories from Fat 140
Total Fat 16 g
Saturated Fat 2 g
Cholesterol 65 mg
Sodium 320 mg
Carbohydrate 12 g
Dietary Fiber <1 g
Sugars 1 g
Protein 26 g

© 2006 Monica Reinagel

Chicken Breasts Cabernet

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 cup of red wine
1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1/2 tbsp. paprika
1 clove garlic minced
sea salt and pepper to taste
olive oil for frying

Marinate chicken in red wine. Place chicken in a glass dish or bowl. Pour wine over chicken and mix to coat chicken. Cover the dish or bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours to allow chicken to marinate. Remove chicken breasts from the wine and discard any remaining wine. Season chicken with basil, paprika, salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté about 1 minute. Then add chicken and sauté on each side until the juices run clear (about 20 - 30 minutes).

Makes 4 servings
Cook Time: Approximately 30 minutes

Chicken with Peapods and Zucchini

8-oz. boneless breast of chicken
2 Tbsp. peanut or olive oil
12 sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. dried basil, crushed
2 cloves garlic, crushed, or one tbsp. dried garlic
1 Tbsp. dried onion
1 medium zucchini
1 cup peapods
1 oz. white wine
Grated parmesan cheese
Brown rice
Fresh parsley, chopped

Slice boneless breast of chicken into two inch by one-half inch strips. Heat two tablespoons of peanut or olive oil in wok or fry pan. Add chicken, mushrooms, dried basil, garlic, onion, zucchini, and peapods. Spoon-sauté until chicken is done. Add one ounce of white wine (optional). Simmer gently until zucchini and peapods are tender. Serve over pasta with grated cheese, or serve with brown rice. Garnish with parsley.

Chicken Provencale

Team this Mediterranean-style dish with brown rice and sautéed zucchini for an easy dinner.

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 28-ounce can diced peeled tomatoes
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add can of tomatoes, granted orange zest, oregano, basil, bay leaves, paprika and black pepper. Cook until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet and sauté until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. To serve, spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

Serves 4

Eye of Round Roast with Rosemary and Potatoes

2 lb. eye of the round roast
Rosemary, crushed in a small bowl
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
8 small red potatoes cut in half
2 onions, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
Fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Trim off excess fat from the roast and sprinkle with crushed rosemary, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Place the roast on a rack in roasting pan and add one ounce of water. Place potatoes around roast and sprinkle with rosemary and roast until tender, approximately one and a half hours. Slice thin and serve with raw sliced onion and tomatoes sprinkled with fresh parsley.

Grilled Chicken Teriyaki

1 8-10 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, split and pounded thin
2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. honey
1 Tbsp. dry sherry
½ cup unsweetened canned pineapple juice
1 tsp. grated ginger
2 slices canned pineapple
1 scallion, slivered

Place chicken breast in a shallow glass or ceramic pan. Combine soy sauce, honey, sherry, pineapple juice, and ginger, and pour over chicken breast. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator for 2-4 hours. Heat up grill pan and cook chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Discard any remaining marinade. Grill pineapple briefly if desired. Garnish with scallions and sliced pineapple.

Makes 2 servings

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories 220
Calories from Fat 15
Total Fat 1.5 g
Saturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 75 mg
Sodium 360 mg
Total Carbohydrate 19 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 16 g
Protein 30 g

Grilled Mediterranean Halibut

Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
3 Tbsp. fresh basil or 1 Tbsp. dried, divided
2 tsp. drained capers
4 5-6 oz. Halibut steaks
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat broiler. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and lemon peel in a small bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons basil and capers. Season halibut with pepper and brush with 1 tablespoon of lemon vinaigrette. Grill or broil until cooked through, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate. Rewhisk remaining vinaigrette and pour over fish. Garnish with remaining tablespoon of basil.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories 240
Calories from Fat 90
Total Fat 10 g
Saturated Fat 1.5 g
Cholesterol 50 mg
Sodium 125 mg
Total Carbohydrate 2 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 33 g

Grilled Red Snapper

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 lb. snapper filet
Black pepper

Preheat broiler. Combine olive oil and lemon juice and brush on filet. Dust with black pepper. Grill 5 inches from broiler for 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories 140
Calories from Fat 45
Total Fat 5 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 40 mg
Sodium 75 mg
Total Carbohydrate 0 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 23 g

Grilled Rosemary Chicken Breast

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 8-10 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in half

Combine olive oil, pepper, rosemary, paprika, and onion powder. Rub on chicken breast and refrigerate for two hours. Grill chicken approximately 4-5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.

Makes 2 servings

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories 210
Calories from Fat 80
Total Fat 9 g
Saturated Fat 1.5 g
Cholesterol 75 mg
Sodium 85 mg
Total Carbohydrate 1 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 30 g

Lousiana Red Beans & Rice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/2 cup diced celery
2 cloves garlic, mashed
2 15-ounce cans of small red beans (or dark red kidney beans), drained
3 cups water
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt (or reduced sodium salt)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups cooked brown rice
Louisiana hot sauce (optional)

Sautè onion, celery, and green pepper in olive oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add garlic and sautè two more minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 30–40 minutes. Stir occasionally, more frequently toward the end of the cooking time. As you stir, mash some of the beans with the back of your spoon to thicken the mixture. Place 1/2 cup cooked rice in a bowl. Ladle one cup of bean mixture over the top. Add a dash of Louisiana hot sauce—if you can take the heat!

Makes 4 Servings

Nutrition Facts per serving
Calories: 353
Protein: 15 g
Carbohydrate: 58 g
Fiber: 11 g
Fat: 7g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 g

© 2006 Monica Reinagel

Mussels Provençal

2 tsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. chopped shallots
4 cloves of garlic, minced
½ medium red pepper, chopped
1 cup no-salt-added whole tomatoes with juice
½ tsp. ground turmeric
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. sherry vinegar
2 tsp. dried parsley
Red pepper flakes, to taste
1 lb. mussels, washed in cold water
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

Heat oil in large frying pan over medium-high heat and cook shallots, garlic, and red pepper till tender, stirring often. Add tomatoes and seasonings; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 minutes. Add mussels and fresh basil; cover and cook until mussels open, 5-6 minutes. Discard any shells that do not open.

SERVES 2

Nutrition Facts per Serving:
Calories: 290
Calories from Fat: 90
Total Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Cholesterol: 65mg
Sodium: 670mg
Total Carbohydrate: 21g
Dietary Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 9g
Protein: 29g

Patty’s Natto Recipe

1 package natto
1 organic egg
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1 green onion, finely chopped
White rice

Defrost natto. Mix together egg (as fresh as possible), low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, mustard, and green onion. Combine natto with sauce mixture and spoon over hot white rice.

You can vary the proportions of soy sauce, sesame, and mustard to suit your taste. Although the raw egg is traditional, you can omit this if you have any concerns about eating raw eggs.

© 2006 Monica Reinagel

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Mustard

1 lb. boneless pork tenderloin
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. crushed thyme
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

Season meat with black pepper. Heat oil in a pan and brown meat on all sides. Sprinkle with thyme and spread with Dijon mustard. Roast 45 minutes to 1 hour at 375° or until meat thermometer registers 180°.

SERVES 4

Nutrition Facts per Serving:
Calories: 170
Calories from Fat: 70
Total Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 75mg
Sodium: 150mg
Total Carbohydrate: 1g
Dietary Fiber: 0g
Sugar: 0g
Protein: 24g

Roast Salmon

1/2 lb. salmon filet
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
Black pepper to taste
1 lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut salmon in half to form two pieces. Rub with olive oil, garlic, dill, and pepper. Roast 6–8 minutes, depending on thickness. Garnish with parsley and fresh lemon.

Serves 2

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories 230
Calories from Fat 130
Total Fat 14 g
Saturated Fat 2 g
Cholesterol 60 mg
Sodium 50 mg
Total Carbohydrate 2 g
Dietary Fiber 0
Sugars 1 g
Protein 23 g

2 6-oz. cans lump crabmeat, drained
2 eggs
1/2 cup instant potato flakes
1/4 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup minced onion
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried parsley
Dash of hot sauce
1 tsp. paprika
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 tsp. skim milk
Pepper to taste
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil for sautéing
Easy Remoulade Sauce (recipe follows)

Using your hands, thoroughly mix together all the ingredients for the crab cakes except the oil in a large bowl. Hand form mixture into patties and sauté them in a skillet in hot olive oil. After a minute or so, flip the cakes so they are browned on both sides. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towel. Serve hot with Remoulade sauce.

Easy Remoulade Sauce

In a small bowl, mix together equal amounts of salsa and light soy mayonnaise. Add horseradish if desired.

Serves 4

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories 250
Calories from Fat 110
Total Fat 12 g
Saturated Fat 2.5 g
Cholesterol 160 mg
Sodium 600 mg
Total Carbohydrate 15 g
Dietary Fiber 2
Sugars 3 g
Protein 19 g

Scallop Kabobs

1 Tbsp. olive oil
6 basil leaves, sliced
2 cloves garlic, slivered
8 oz. sea scallops
1 lemon, thinly sliced

Combine olive oil, basil and garlic and pour over scallops to marinate. Keep scallops refrigerated for 3 hours. Thread scallops on skewers, separated by slices of lemon. Grill 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides.

Serves 2

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories 160
Calories from Fat 70
Total Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 35 mg
Sodium 180 mg
Total Carbohydrate 4 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 19 g

Shrimp with Peppers, Tomatoes, and Garlic

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1 tsp. ground coriander seed
1 cup no-salt-added crushed tomatoes
1 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. brown sugar or honey
1 lb. cooked large shrimp
8 oz. whole-wheat pasta, cooked according to package directions

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and sauté garlic, peppers, and onion until tender. Add sherry and bring to a boil. Add rest of ingredients, bring to a boil again, and then serve over pasta.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories 430
Calories from Fat 50
Total Fat 6 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 220 mg
Sodium 370 mg
Total Carbohydrate 59 g
Dietary Fiber 11 g
Sugars 9 g
Protein 35 g

Sinatra's Lemon-Caper Chicken

This main dish easily becomes a meal when served with steamed vegetables and brown rice.

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 4-oz. chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, divided
1/2 cup dry white wine (or substitute chicken broth)
4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. capers
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, sprinkle 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper over chicken breasts. Add chicken to skillet and cook 5-6 minutes on each side, until chicken is done. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm. Add remaining salt and pepper, white wine or chicken broth, lemon juice and capers to the skillet. Stirring occasionally, cook sauce until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 2 minutes). Add parsley to sauce. Spoon over chicken.

Serves 4

Tangy Citrus Chicken

2 limes
2 tangerines
Nonstick olive oil cooking spray
6 medium boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Ground black pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 tsp. chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
3 cups hot cooked brown rice or whole-wheat couscous

Finely shred lime peels to measure 1/2 teaspoon. Finely shred tangerine peels to measure 1 teaspoon. Set aside. Halve limes and squeeze 2 tablespoons juice. Set aside. Peel and section tangerines into a small bowl. Set aside. Lightly coat a large skillet with nonstick spray. Season chicken with ground pepper. Cook chicken in skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until browned on both sides. Add broth, onions, basil, reserved peels, and lime juice. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer covered for 8 minutes, or until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.

For sauce, combine water and cornstarch; add to juices in skillet. Cook and stir often until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Add tangerine sections and any juice; heat through. Pour sauce over chicken and serve with rice or couscous.

Serves 6

Turkey Meatloaf

I Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, finely grated
1 1/3 lbs. ground turkey breast
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 5.5 oz. can of low-sodium V-8 juice
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp. honey
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram

TOPPING
1/2 cup unsalted tomato sauce
1 tsp. Honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray. Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat and sauté onion and carrots till tender. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except topping. Pat turkey mixture into 9x5 loaf pan. Mix topping ingredients and spread on turkey mixture. Bake 45 minutes.

Serves 4

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories 220
Calories from Fat 40
Total Fat 4.5 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 100 mg
Sodium 170 mg
Total Carbohydrate 15 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugars 6 g
Protein 26 g