0 Guest Post Musings of a Healthy Cooking Teacher

Stacey is a Registered Dietitian at a large Midwestern university. She teaches healthy cooking classes and is a working mom of four kids ages 10 and under.

Why did I start teaching healthy cooking classes? Simply put, there are too many people who don’t know how to read a recipe or use common kitchen appliances. (Microwaves don’t count.)

It’s becoming generational. I found that when I did demonstrational classes, people loved tasting the food, but never actually thought about making it at home. I call it the “Food Network Halo Effect,” in which viewers watch the network, but never end up cooking anything on screen. However, once they landed in a kitchen, participating in the process made them less afraid to make mistakes, and those small victories gave them confidence to start trying things on their own. As I tell my classes, “It’s only food, not rocket science.”

I had one college freshman approach me during a class, embarrassed he didn’t quite understand recipes. The five minutes we spent learning have unlocked a world of healthier eating and for him, not to mention several ways to save money.

Time and time again, when folks get together and cook, really cool things happen: community development, team building, the melding of cultures and camaraderie. Often they walk in with uncertainties, but walk out laughing, encouraging each other to try recipes. Either way, as an educator, I see behavioral changes happen faster than if they participated in any lecture or demo.

I personally believe food is meant to be enjoyed. It’s a part of our culture, our traditions, our memories. But I also realize that for health’s sake, we need balance, so we can simultaneously enjoy food and nourish our bodies. This is important whether you’re trying to maintain your weight, prevent medical issues, or if you are smack dab in the middle of a health crisis. I try to teach the concept of balance to my own children, as well. If they enjoy a double cheeseburger at lunch, you better believe they’re going to have more health-filled options for supper.

Enough of the sermon, and let’s get to a recipe! Here’s one of my favorites from the Frugal Healthy Foods class I teach. The secret ingredient is surprising and gets folks talking every time. Try it, and I betchyoo like it, too. Better yet, tinker around with the ingredients (I give some options below) and make it your own.

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If you like this article, you might also enjoy:

• American Chop Suey
• Food, Finance, and Judging Others
• Free Cooking Lessons. No, Seriously.

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Sloppy Jacks
Serves 4-6
NOTE: Creative commons photo is from Flickrs Word Ridden, and gives a pretty good idea of what the end product will look like.

1 pound ground turkey (or equivalent Soy Crumbles)
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 15-ounce can plain pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Pinch black pepper
Whole wheat buns

In a large nonstick skillet, cook meat and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain and return to pan. Add ketchup, water, chili powder, pepper and vinegar and mix well. Stir in pumpkin, cover,  reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes.

Options: Add brown sugar if you like it sweeter, hot sauce if you like it spicier, and chopped green pepper if you want a one-pot meal; you can also serve over baked potatoes.

NOTE: The pumpkin is a power-packed nutrition addition to this recipe as well. It is super high in vitamin A!

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
NOTE: Calculations do NOT include buns, since they numbers can vary wildly depending on brand.
Four servings: 236 calories, 8.5 g fat, 3.6 g fiber, 23.4 g protein, $1.24
Six servings: 157 calories, 5.6 g fat, 2.4 g fiber, 15.6 g protein, $0.82

Calculations
1 pound (93/7) ground turkey: 640 calories, 32 g fat, 0 g fiber, 88 g protein, $2.80
1 small onion, chopped: 29 calories, 0.1 g fat, 1 g fiber, 0.6 g protein, $0.15
1/2 cup ketchup: 120 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein,
1/4 cup water: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.00
1 teaspoon chili powder: 9 calories, 0.4 g fat, 0.9 g fiber, 0.3 g protein, $0.05
1 15-ounce can plain pumpkin (not pie filling): 145 calories, 1.3 g fat, 12.3 g fiber, 4.7 g protein,
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.02
Pinch black pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.01
TOTALS: 943 calories, 33.8 g fat, 14.2 g fiber, 93.6 g protein, $4.94
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 236 calories, 8.5 g fat, 3.6 g fiber, 23.4 g protein, $1.24
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 157 calories, 5.6 g fat, 2.4 g fiber, 15.6 g protein, $0.82

0 Guest Post Sauteed Shrimp and Asparagus with Sesame Seeds

Carrie Murphy studies poetry in the MFA program at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM. She blogs about eating well in graduate school at Master of Fine Eats.

Being a strapped-for-time-and-energy graduate student, I am always looking for quick, easy and healthful dinner recipes I can make after a long day of class. Eating healthfully as often as possible is important to me, but so is relaxing (which, for the purposes of this post is defined as watching bad TV on Hulu and laying on my couch). So, how to eat well when Im tired and dont feel like cooking?

I came up with this fast little saute after reading this recipe and wanting something a little bit more substantial (apologies to Martha). I had half a bag of frozen shrimp and some shriveling green onions in the fridge, so I threw this together one night a few weeks ago. The sesame seeds and green onions add a nice crunch and the lemony broth smells heavenly; it turned out flavorful and fresh-tasting without taking a lot of time or effort.

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If this looks good, youre gonna love:

• Noodle Salad with Shrimp, Chicken, and Mint
• Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg and Parmesan
• Sweet and Sour Shrimp with Vegetables

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Sauteed Shrimp And Asparagus With Sesame Seeds
Serves 2
Total Time: 10-15 minutes
Hands-On Time: 10-15 minutes
NOTE: This recipe is designed to be eaten over your favorite grain. I served quinoa, but rice or couscous would work just as well.

1 tablespoons garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large bunch of asparagus chopped into 1 in pieces
20-30 small to medium shrimp (about 10-15 per person, depending on the size)
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Liberal sprinkling of sesame seeds
Liberal sprinkling of chopped green onions

1) Defrost your shrimp and chop your asparagus and green onions.

2) Put the olive oil and garlic in a deep skillet on medium high until heated through.

3) Add in asparagus, thoroughly coat with garlic and oil. Cook for about a minute.

4) Add in shrimp, stir well. Cook for another minute.

5) Add in the wine and lemon juice, stir. Let this cook down, about 5 minutes or so (liquid should be bubbling).

6) Sprinkle on sesame seeds, mix well.

7) Spoon asparagus and shrimp mixture with broth over your selected grain; top with chopped green onions.

Tip #1: I know asparagus and green onions arent really in season now, but imagine how good this recipe will be when they are!

Tip #2: Substitute sesame oil for olive if you want more of an Asian flavor, or add in some soy sauce near the end. You could also easily omit the sesame seeds or green onions for a slightly simpler recipe.

Calories
Asparagus, 27 cals
Ten shrimp: 80 cals
Olive oil in 2 tbsps: approx 238 cals
White wine: approx 40 cals
Garlic: 4 cals
Lemon Juice: 8 cals
Sesame Seeds: 52 cals
Green Onions: 10

Total: 459 calories
Total per serving: 229.5
(not including whatever grain you choose to serve this with)