Healthy Recipes

Eat  your greens!

It is easy when you make it so yummy.  We love the Italians!  They can do so much with every vegetable, they think of everything and it is all healthy recipes.   We are not sure we would have ever come up with this one.  Who even knows what Swiss Chard is?

This is the perfect heart healthy appetizer.  Everyone loves spinach dip, this takes it up a notch.  A bit more sophisticated and definitely a conversation starter.  Swiss chard is a part of the greens family.  You have probably seen it and never know what to do with it.  The stems are a deep burgundy red and the leaves, dark green and somewhat curly.  Remember we are trying to add more color to our plate every day.  This is a healthy way to get your vegetables.

An easy way to remove the stems:  fold each leaf along the stem, placing the root end to your left ( reverse if you are left handed) and the stem edge furthest from you.  Take a paring knife, starting at the base of the stalk and trim off  the stem by running the knife down its length. Similar to boning a fish.

healthy recipes

Healthy Recipe Ingredients

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 lb Swiss Chard, stems removed and coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
half of one baguette, sliced on the diagonal, in 1/2″ thick pieces then toasted
2 oz of reduced fat feta cheese, crumbled

 Healthy Cooking Instructions

In a large skillet or wok, heat the olive oil to medium high heat.

Add the Swiss Chard to the pan and stir fry for a few minutes, coating the chard well with the oil.

Add the water and stir fry for another 2 minutes, until most of the water has disappeared.

Salt and pepper to taste.   Remove from heat.

Add the vinegar and stir well.

To assemble the bruschetta,  divide the chard into equal portions on each of the slices of bread, top with the feta cheese.

Healthy Snack Recipes

Everyone loves deviled eggs. Here is a classic way to prepare them. Eggs provide an easy and inexpensive way to sneak in some additional protein. Healthy snack recipes such as this appetizer, provides the protein you are looking for. Plus, egg yolks are a great source of Vitamin D. Nowadays, we stay indoors more, wear sunscreen when outdoors and opt for the egg white omelet. All good choices, but you may not be getting enough Vitamin D. A deviled egg may be just what you need.

We have seen dozens of ideas to make peeling the eggs easier, but we have found that using eggs that are really fresh end up the hardest to peel, so always use the oldest ones you have on hand. A small tip for filling the eggs, spoon the egg mixture into a plastic sandwich bag, cut off one of the bottom corners, diagonally. Squeeze the bag carefully, fill the eggs halves, twisting the bag slightly snd lifting, when filled.

Healthy Recipe Ingredients

12 large eggs
4 teaspoons light mayonnaise
8 teaspoons Dijon mustard
dash or two of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
paprika

Healthy Cooking Instructions

Place the eggs in a pan large enough to cover with water, plus an extra inch.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a low boil and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
Carefully drain the eggs and place in bowl with iced water.

Allow to cool completely before peeling.
Slice each egg in half, carefully spooning out the yolks.
Place the yolks in a small mixing bowl.
Mash the yolks with a fork, until crumbly and uniform in size.
Add the mayonnaise, mustard, both peppers and salt.
Stir well until you have a smooth paste. Add more mayo if needed. It should not be dry.
Taste for the desired seasoning, adjust for your taste.
Spoon into each egg half.
Sprinkle with a dash of paprika.