Tag Archives: side dish

Pineapple and Mango Salsa

Pineapple and Mango Salsahealth, wellness, diet, dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, michelle moreau, chef, healthy kitchen, healthcare, medical insurance, Portsmouth, NH, seacoast, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, diet, weight loss, recipe, counseling, healthcare, gluten free,, salsa, pineapple, mango, vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, seafood

This salsa is a great accompaniment to grilled foods, including chicken, fish and tofu. Grilled bananas taste great with it too.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup       Pineapple, diced
1 cup       Cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup       Mango, diced
1/3 cup    Bell pepper, orange, diced
2 medium Scallions, thinly sliced
1/8 cup    Cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon Tamari, gluten-free, low-sodium
1 medium   Jalapeno chile, minced

PREPARATION:
Put all ingredients into a medium sized bowl and toss to combine. Refrigerate for at least an hour to let flavors blend.

Makes 3.5 cups

health, wellness, diet, dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, michelle moreau, chef, healthy kitchen, healthcare, medical insurance, Portsmouth, NH, seacoast, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, diet, weight loss, recipe, counseling, healthcare, gluten free, multi fruit, rainbow, salsa, seafood
Pictured: Grilled Mahi Mahi & Banana with Pineapple Mango Salsa, Sweet Mash, Rice


What is a serving size?

What exactly is a serving size?

How much is just right?  Everyone has heard by now that, whether dining out or eating at home, the average American’s plate is often filled with over-sized portions. But what exactly is a proper serving size? Here is a handy, quick guide comparing  single-sized  food portions to everyday items:

3 ounces of poultry, beef or fish ~ a deck of cards, or a checkbook

2 tablespoons peanut butter ~ a golf ball

an ounce of nuts ~ about a handful

1 cup cereal ~ a baseball

1 cup pasta ~ a tennis ball

1 dinner roll ~ a yo-yo

1 baked potato ~ a computer mouse

1 cup green salad ~ 1 baseball

1 serving of fruit (1/2 cup) ~1/2 a baseball, or a standard ice cream scoop

1 serving of vegetables (1/2 cup) ~ 1/2 a baseball, or a standard ice cream scoop

1 ounce cheese ~ a pair of dice

1 teaspoon butter ~ 1 “Scrabble” game tile

Another way to roughly estimate portion sizes is by using your hand (of course, make adjustments accordingly if you are way above or below average-sized!):

About one cup~ your fist

About 1 ounce meat or cheese~ your thumb

About 1 tablespoon ~ your thumb tip

About 1 teaspoon~ your fingertip

Make sure to take the “What to Eat: Personalized” quiz to learn exactly how many servings from each food group (Meats and Beans, Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Dairy) is right for you.  Knowledge is power.

Happy healthy eating!


Spanish Rice

INGREDIENTS:
Great side dish for when you are in a healthy Latin mood.

1 ½ cups       Vegetable stock

1 tsp                Olive Oil

¼ cup              Celery stalk, chopped fine

¼ cup              Onion, chopped fine

¼ cup              Carrot, chopped fine

¾ cup              Tomato, chopped fine

1 tsp                Thyme, dried

2 tsp                Paprika

1/8 tsp             Cayenne pepper

¼ tsp               Salt

½ cup              Brown rice

¼ cup                Wild rice

PREPARATION:

Heat vegetable stock in a small pot. In a medium pot heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add celery, onion, and carrot and sauté for two minutes, stirring often. Add tomato and sauté two minutes more, still stirring. Add cayenne, paprika, salt, brown and wild rice and stir until rice is completely coated. Add hot vegetable stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until all water is absorbed, about 45 minutes.

YIELD: 6 servings


Black Eyed Pea, Wild Rice and Fresh Corn Salad

This is a great summertime salad. Serve it at your next picnic or barbeque.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup Black-eyed peas

1/4 cup Onion, white, minced

2 tablespoon Olive oil

1/4 cup   Rice, wild, long grain, dry

1/2 cup   Vegetable stock

1/2 teaspoon   Cumin

1/8 teaspoon   Black pepper, fresh ground

1/8 teaspoon   Sea salt

1/8 teaspoon   Chili Powder

1/8 cup  Thyme, fresh, minced

1/4 cup  Cilantro, fresh, minced

1 teaspoon  Vinegar, white wine

3 tablespoon Lemon juice, fresh squeezed

1/2 cup Corn kernels, fresh cut off cob

1/4 cup   Pepper, red, minced

1/8 cup   Pepper, green bell, minced

1/4 cup  scallion, diced

PREPARATION:

Cover peas in plenty of water and soak overnight.  Drain and rinse. Put soaked peas in small water with more fresh water and cook on a high flame until boiling. Reduce to simmer and cook until tender. Drain water and chill beans.

In a small pan, heat vegetable stock. Saute onion in a medium pot with a very small amount of the olive oil; cook until translucent; stir in rice.  Add heated vegetable stock, cover and simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed by the rice.

In a small bowl, combine cumin, pepper, salt, chili powder, thyme, basil, lemon, vinegar, and remainder of oil. Whisk to combine.

In a large bowl combine cooked peas and rice with the corn, peppers and scallion. Toss with dressing to combine. Serve room temperature.

Yield: 6 servings

Serving size: 1/2 cup