Nutritious, Healthy & Tasty - various vegetable and fruit recipes, along with a swordfish recipe - Recipe

Ebony, July, 2001 by Charlotte Lyons

If you are one of those health-conscious people who are trying to watch what you eat, then you know that certain food selections can be both tasty and healthy. When planning meals, the three basic principles to remember are balance, variety and moderation. Try preparing your favorite foods in different ways, using herbs, spices, fresh juices and garlic to season the dish. Try baking, boiling, broiling and steaming rather than frying. You'll be surprised at how good food can taste when you use less fat. At least once a week, try to prepare something new until you establish a collection of new recipes. The following are some easy-to-follow recipes that will get you on the road to a healthier way of life.

Stir-Fried Succotash

3 slices bacon
1 10-ounce package frozen baby
 lima beans
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 16-ounce package frozen,
 whole-kernel corn
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 10-ounce package frozen, cut
 okra, thawed
1/4 cup chicken broth
 Salt and pepper

Cook bacon in skillet until crisp; reserving 3 tablespoons dripping. Crumble bacon and set aside. Cook lima beans as directed on package; drain. Heat wok or large skillet until hot. Add bacon drippings and vegetable oil; rotate to coat. Add onion and corn; stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add lima beans, tomatoes and okra; stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, salt and pepper and crumbled bacon. Cover and continue cooking a few minutes. Serve over rice if desired.

Yields 8 servings

CALORIES 149.0, TOTAL FAT 3.8G, CHOLESTEROL 2MG, FIBER 4.2G, PROTEIN 6.5G, SODIUM 149MG.

Stir-Fried Collard Greens

1 bunch collard greens (about 3
 to 4 pounds)
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch green onions, sliced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
 Dash crushed red pepper
 Salt to taste

Remove stems of collards and discard them. Wash leaves thoroughly. Slice leaves into bite-size pieces by rolling several leaves together and cutting into 1/4-inch strips. Blanch greens in boiling water for 30 minutes; drain well. Heat olive oil in wok or large skillet until hot. Add remaining ingredients. Stir-fry (cook and stir) until vegetables are tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Yields 6 servings

CALORIES 152, TOTAL FAT 9.4G, CHOLESTEROL 0MG, FIBER 7.0G, PROTEIN 3.3G, SODIUM 39MG.

Cabbage Stir-Fry

3 tablespoons olive or vegetable
 oil
1 medium cabbage, coarsely
 chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red or green bell
 pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons sugar
 Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons water

Heat oil in wok or large skillet until hot. Add cabbage, onion, red bell pepper, garlic powder, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir-fry until cabbage is just tender and light green, about 5 minutes. Add water and cover; remove from heat. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes.

Yields 6 servings

CALORIES 100, TOTAL FAT 7.0G, CHOLESTEROL 0MG, FIBER 0.4G, PROTEIN 1.7G, SODIUM 71MG.

Lemon Greek Salad

1/2 cup olive oil
 Grated peel and juice of 1
 lemon
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
 leaves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 6-ounce can pitted, ripe olives,
 drained
1 medium cucumber, sliced
1 medium green pepper, cut
 into 1-inch pieces
12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
 or cubed
1 small head iceberg lettuce,
 torn into bite-size pieces

Combine olive oil, lemon peel and lemon juice, oregano, garlic salt and pepper. Add olives, cucumber, green pepper, tomatoes and cheese; toss to mix well. Chill. To serve, arrange lettuce in salad bowl; top with marinated vegetable mixture. Toss gently, if desired.

Yields 6 servings

CALORIES 279, TOTAL FAT 20.4G, CHOLESTEROL 17MG, FIBER 5.4G, PROTEIN 5.4G, SODIUM 498MG.

Sauteed Zucchini, Tomatoes And Olives

2 tablespoons extra-virgin oil
2 small shallots, cut into thin
 strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium zucchini, sliced
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup sliced, ripe olives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh
 basil
 Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in large skillet until hot. Cook and stir shallots and garlic until slightly tender, about 2 minutes. Add zucchini; cook and stir until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and heat until tomatoes are hot. Stir in olives and basil. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste.

Yields 4 servings

CALORIES 110, TOTAL FAT 8.4G, CHOLESTEROL 0MG, FIBER 1.8G, PROTEIN 2.1G, SODIUM 116MG.

Vegetable Pasta Salad

6 ounces mostaccioli pasta,
 uncooked
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
2 tablespoons sliced, pitted, ripe
 olives
1/2 cup low-calorie Italian salad
 dressing
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
6 cups torn, fresh spinach

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Combine pasta, tomato, celery, green onion, and olives in large bowl. Combine salad dressing and orange juice in small bowl. Drizzle salad dressing mixture over pasta mixture and toss gently to coat. Cover and chill. Toss with spinach just before serving.