Superbowl-Worthy Traditional Mexican Salsa Fresca: A Step-by-Step Pictorial Guide

Superbowl-Worthy Traditional Mexican Salsa Fresca: A Step-by-Step Pictorial Guide
(excerpted from Diet Simple)

My fresh salsa is inspired by my Aunt Betse, who spends most of her days in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, carrying on the tradition of my Grandfather who studied art there in the 1950s and 60s. Aunt Betse started making fresh salsa before Americans knew about it – decades ago. My salsa is a variation of hers. Use it as a dip or accompaniment at your next party. It goes fast, so make plenty! You can also use it in scrambled eggs, tortillas, or as a marinate or dressing. Throw it in plain yogurt or a mashed avocado as a dip. My measurements are the proportions I prefer, but you can vary any of the the ingredients depending on your preferences.

Serves 22

Ingredients:

1 large onion, diced (about 1/2 pound)
2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (start with about 3-1/2 pounds)
2 – 4 Jalapeno Peppers (1 – 2 ounces)
3/4 cup chopped fresh Cilantro
Ground pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3 – 4 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 – 2 limes)

Peel the tomatoes, if you wish (I don’t always peel them), by dropping in simmering water for 10 seconds, pulling out with a fork, waiting until cool, then peel. Seed them if you’d like your salsa less watery, but this is also an optional step.With a sharp knife, chop the tomatoes.

Chop the onions and add to the tomatoes.

After removing the firey hot seeds, finely chop the jalapeno peppers and add to the mixture.

Chop the cilantro and add to mixture.

Add ground pepper and salt.

Squeeze the lime juice into the mixture and VOILA!

Nutrition Information per serving: 20 calories, 0 grams fat, 5 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein, 54 mg sodium

Super Bowl Chili with Fresh Salsa and Guacamole

Let’s watch some FOOTBALL! And, eat some delicious and spicy chili, salsa, guac and chips – the perfect SUPERBOWL FOODS.

They taste so good, no one will know they’re healthy. It’s called: THE “STEALTHY” HEALTHY SUPERBOWL PARTY!

Most guys I know love to watch football – even some gals. Left to their own devices, though, the food of choice may be chips, dogs, or other junk food. Here’s a way to go on the defense and tackle those calorie-laden, beer-belly-creating, artery-clogging snacks…

PIZZA, FOOT-LONG SUBS, SAUSAGES, FRIED AND BATTERED WINGS (150 calories each!) – they’re all popular sports-watching snacks. It’s what’s easy- and people are used to them. But I’ve found that when you serve healthy, tasty alternatives, they’re just as happy – just don’t announce it to everyone! In fact, words like “healthy” or “diet” are a huge turn-off for anyone – at any age – who loves good food. “Delicious!” is much more inviting. No one will know the difference, I promise! My experience is that your football lovers (uh, fanatics) will love these “stealthy, healthy”  foods…

“Katherine’s Chili Non Carne” is an all-around favorite. Serve it with whole grain chips (yes, they’re fine this one time!), and add a few more bowls for dipping of  Nonfat Greek Yogurt: NO ONE will know it isn’t sour cream, I swear! Fill other bowls with “Katherine’s Fresh Salsa” and “Guacamole.”

Grill beef or pork tenderloin, either as a roast or cut up on skewers, grill or broil veggies such as mushrooms, peppers, potatoes, eggplant… Make them crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. They’ll taste as good as french fries – and this is coming from a french fry lover (yes, I must admit)!

What’s not to love? The Washingtonian agrees!

Katherine’s Chile Non-Carne
(excerpted from Diet Simple)

Try making this recipe a day ahead of time so the flavors and textures have a time to develop. I love this simple, quick chili recipe.  It’s meatless but you don’t miss the meat because it’s so flavorful.  You should use the amount of garlic or chili powder that appeals to you.  I like it hot and spicy! I double the recipe, using a whole pound of dried black beans,  so I have plenty for the week.  I use this dish as a lunch or dinner alongside a green salad.  I also serve it at parties as a dip next to my fresh tomato salsa, nonfat Greek yogurt, and guacamole.  It’s perfect rolled up in a tortilla or stuffed in a taco with some reduced fat cheese.  Great for informal super bowl or Halloween  parties.

Serves 4

1 Tbsp Olive or Canola Oil, or more
1 Large Onion, Chopped
3 Large Garlic Cloves, Minced (more or less)
3 Tbsp Hot Chile Powder (try 50/50 Chipotle Chile, maybe a dash of smoked paprika, called “Pimenton,” and just a pinch of cinnamon)
1 Large Fresh Green Pepper,
Chopped1 28- oz. Can Italian Plum Tomatoes, chopped, including the liquid
1 Pound Can Kidney or Black Beans, whichever is preferred
1/2 Cup Water (To Hydrate the Bulgur)
1/2 Cup Bulgur (Cracked Wheat)
2 Seeded Jalapeno Peppers, chopped, if desired
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Saute the onions and garlic in the oil over low heat in a large pot until soft, 15 or more minutes.  Add the chile powder and simmer for a few more minutes.  Add the Fresh Green Pepper and cook until al dente.

Meanwhile, soak the bulgur in the boiling water for 15 minutes.

Add all remaining ingredients including the bulgur and simmer slowly over low to medium heat until flavors are well blended and vegetables are cooked to the desired consistency … a few minutes or longer, if desired. Adjust seasonings to your preference.  Since many canned items were used, additional salt will probably not be needed.

Calories per serving 320, Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 1g, Carbohydrate 59g, Fiber 13g,  Protein   12g

Katherine’s Spicy Fresh Mexican Salsa with Mild Guacamole
(excerpted from Diet Simple)

Katherine’s Spicy Mexican Salsa
(step-by-step pictorial instructions) 

22 servings

Ingredients

1 large onion, peeled and chopped (about ½ pound)
2 lbs fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (start with about 3-1/2 lbs) (Use canned tomatoes, if good tomatoes aren’t available)
3 – 4 jalapeno peppers (1 – 2 ounces), to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ tsp salt, or to taste
3 – 4 Tbsp fresh lime juice (1 – 2 limes)

Add the onion to the tomatoes. Finely chop 2 of the jalapeno peppers to start with. Taste. If you desire more heat, add 1 – 2 more jalapenos. Mix in the cilantro. Add the salt depending on your taste. Mix in the lime juice.

20 calories, 0 g fat, 5 g carb, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein

Katherine’s Guacamole
(step-by-step pictorial instructions) 

12 Servings

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp lime juice
¼ tsp salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cut avocados in half lengthwise and pull out the pits. Scoop out the meat. Place ina medium bowl and mash, keeping some large chunks. Mix in the cilantro, lime juice and salt. Taste to adjust seasoning.

50 calories, 5 g fat, 1  sat fat, 3 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 1 g protein

A ‘So-Called Bad Food?” Uncovering the Egg Myth…

The Much-Maligned Egg Deserves More Respect! See the report on CNN…

Recipe below…

My grandmother’s favorite food in the whole wide world was eggs. She loved eggs so much, we named an egg after her. The “grandmommy egg” was soft-boiled, for three minutes. As it sat in an egg cup, we would slice off the top third so the runny yolk would form a delicious and naturally creamy sauce for the white.

Unfortunately, during the last decades of her life, my grandmother came to see eggs as poison and avoided one of her real food pleasures. Health authorities were warning the public against eating eggs for fear that they were a major cause of high cholesterol levels — the bad kind, low-density lipoprotein, known as LDL — and increased risk of heart disease.

New studies show that the caution may have been an exaggeration. Yes, increased blood cholesterol levels can raise the risk of heart disease. Eggs are high in dietary cholesterol. But does eating eggs raise blood cholesterol and cause heart disease? This is where the story gets somewhat complicated, so stay with me, folks, and I’ll try to make sense of all of this.

First, the research: Most epidemiological research — the kind of research that studies large populations over time and analyzes their diets and their health — has found no connection between eating eggs and increases in heart disease. On the other hand, controlled clinical studies — where researchers feed subjects specific amounts of cholesterol and measure the effect on blood — do show a slight increase in blood cholesterol with increases in dietary cholesterol, though how much depends on genetic factors.

Cholesterol is an important component of all human and animal cells and influences hormone biology, among other functions. Since your body naturally has all it needs, there is no dietary requirement for cholesterol. But the American diet contains plenty, since we eat a lot of animal products. All animal products contain some cholesterol, but they also contain saturated fat, an even more significant culprit in heart disease risk.

“The major determinant of plasma LDL level is saturated fat,” says Alice H. Lichtenstein, professor of nutrition science and policy at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University .

And while eggs are high in cholesterol (186 milligrams – 184 of those 186 in the yolk), they’re relatively low in saturated fat (1.6 grams in the yolk).

“In most people, for every 100 milligrams reduction in dietary cholesterol, one would predict a reduction in LDL levels of 2.2 points on average,” says Wanda H. Howell, professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Arizona.

In fact, during my 20 years of counseling people with high cholesterol, just reducing their saturated fat intake to a range of 4 percent to 7 percent of their calories, causes their blood cholesterols to plummet — a double benefit.

Interestingly, the Japanese, the biggest egg-eaters in the world (averaging 328 eggs consumed per person per year), have low levels of cholesterol and heart disease compared with other developed countries, especially the United States. Why? In part, it’s because they eat a diet low in saturated fat.

Americans do just the opposite. Research has shown that we usually have our eggs alongside foods high in saturated fat, such as bacon, sausage and buttered toast. This meal pattern raises LDL and makes the effect of eating eggs worse than it actually is.

So how many eggs can you eat? That depends on a number of factors. The American Heart Association no longer includes limits on the number of egg yolks you can eat, but it recommends that you limit your cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams daily, or 200 milligrams if you have heart disease or if your LDL is greater than 100. You decide where that cholesterol comes from!

Other experts go further and say an egg a day is fine.

“The amount that one egg a day raises cholesterol in the blood is extremely small, so small in fact that the increase in risk in heart disease related to this change in serum cholesterol could never be detected in any kind of study,” says Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard’s School of Public Health. “Elevations in LDL of this small magnitude could easily be countered by other healthy aspects of eggs.”

Based on the research, my recommendation is if you eat a healthful diet, go ahead and eat an egg a day. On the other hand, if your cholesterol is high and if you eat the typical American diet — high in saturated fat, devoid of fruits, vegetables and fiber — maybe you shouldn’t be eating an egg a day.

But will taking eggs out of an unhealthy diet make a positive difference? Probably not. I can’t tell you how many times during my career I’ve heard people say, “I’ve cut out eggs, but my cholesterol is still high!” The impact of a healthy, balanced diet cannot be denied here.

Original content by Katherine Tallmadge for The Washington Post.

Good for You

Assuming you’re eating a healthy diet, here are some ways you may benefit by eating eggs

PROTEIN Eggs are considered the gold standard that other proteins are measured against. Because of the superior amino acid mix, an egg’s six grams of protein are absorbed easily and used by the body more efficiently. The egg is also economical and calorie- controlled (74 calories).

CHOLINE Yolks are one of the best sources of this essential nutrient. Choline is needed for brain development in a growing fetus and may also be important for brain function in adults.

LUTEIN and ZEAXANTHIN These two important beneficial phytochemicals found in egg yolks (as well as kale and spinach) help prevent eye diseases, especially cataracts and age- related macular degeneration. While eggs contain less lutein and zeaxanthin than greens, these phytochemicals are more absorbable because of the presence of fat in the yolk.

VITAMIN D Eggs are one of the few natural sources of Vitamin D, important for the bones and teeth. Vitamin D helps the absorption of calcium, which is important for the heart and colon as well.

Eggs Scrambled with Onion, Garlic and Sweet Cherry Tomatoes

This is a regular meal for me any time of the day – quick, easy, delicious, nutritious!

Servings: 1

Saute 1/4 sweet onion and a smashed garlic clove over medium high heat in 1 teaspoon canola or olive oil until almost soft. Add a handful of chopped tomatoes to the pan (or any other vegetables you happen to have such as chopped spinach, kale, mushrooms, or peppers) and cook for another 5 minutes. Turn down heat to very low. In a separate bowl, whisk 2 eggs. Pour eggs into the pan containing the onion, garlic and tomato – add 1 ounce low fat cheese, if you wish. Stir continuously until eggs are cooked. Pour over toasted whole rye bread.

Favorite Holiday Recipes with Love from Katherine

Just a Few of Katherine’s Favorite Holiday Recipes

For weight loss to last, it has to be enjoyable; you cannot feel deprived,” as I say in Diet Simple and try to demonstrate every day with my clients. The food you eat must be delicious, or your healthy lifestyle cannot last.  But the holidays, as glorious as they are, bring special health challenges. And I don’t know about you, I do not want to feel stuffed and miserable every day of the holiday season, preferably not even one day (though that might be asking too much!). So not only should your recipes be  inviting, and satisfying, it is ideal for as many of them as possible to be light and healthy, too. You’ll have plenty of party food to indulge in, so the food in your home, with a little creativity (and my recipes), could be a rewarding reprieve.

That is why I work so hard to find great recipes for you. I know the holidays are a time when unique, festive menus are important. Here are some of my favorites, recipes I’m repeatedly asked for, which my friends, family, and clients love and are guaranteed to please even the most finicky of foodies, and old fashioned of traditionalists. I promise!

Winter Salad of Orange and Pomegranate

Najmieh’s Yogurt and Spinach Dip

Butternut Squash Soup with Curry and Ginger

Goody’s Vegetable Soup

Kjerstin’s Crab Cakes

Gravlax with Mustard Sauce

Potato Salad with Haricots Verts Smothered in a Lemony Garlic Mayonnaise

Katherine’s Chili Non-Carne

Swiss Chard Quesadillas with Chipoltle Salsa

John Ash’s Grandmother’s Pot Roast

Broiled Salmon in a Mustard Seed Crust

Katherine’s Favorite Holiday Cookies

Katherine’s Light Sweet Potato Flan with Vanilla Bean

Dark Chocolate Dipped Pear Slices

There are so many more festive recipes to be found in Diet Simple. Enjoy!

Najmieh’s Cauliflower KuKu with Fresh Parsley and Spices

Najmieh’s Cauliflower KuKu with Fresh Parsley and Spices

A “Kuku” is a Persian mix between a frittata, a type of Spanish omelette, and a souffle. You can use any vegetables and spices, making a delicious and elegant breakfast, lunch or dinner dish. For instance, I’ve used all cauliflower, and I’ve mixed it up with 1/2 cauliflower and 1/2 brussels sprouts, for a change.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

¼ Cup (4 Tablespoons) Canola or Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Cloves Garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Pound Cauliflower Florets, fresh or frozen (1 small head), coarsely chopped

Pinch of Iodized Salt
1/4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
1/4 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
4 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon Flour
1/2 teaspoon Iodized Salt
¼ Cup Fresh Parsley, Chopped
4 Sprigs of Parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Meanwhile, heat 2 Tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet and brown the onion, garlic and cauliflower over medium high heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the pinch of salt, the pepper, turmeric, smoked paprika, cayenne, and cumin. Let cook on low for another 5 minutes. Cool.

Break eggs into a mixing bowl and add the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the baking powder, flour, and parsley. Whisk lightly. Add the cooled onion, garlic and cauliflower to the egg mixture and fold with a rubber spatula or large wooden spoon.

Heat the remainder of the oil – 2 Tablespoons – in an 8-inch ovenproof baking dish, such as a round, glass Pyrex dish, by placing it in the oven for 10 minutes, or more. Pour in the egg mixture (it will sizzle) and bake uncovered for 50 to 55 minutes until lightly golden on the top and a “tester” such as a thin knife or metal kabob stick, comes out clean.

Remove from the oven, allow to rest for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges with a thin knife, cover with a serving plate and invert onto the serving plate. Cut into 4 pieces and serve with a sprig of parsley.

Recipe total calories = 900. Divided by 4 servings = 225 calories/serving

“Cauliflower KuKu with Fresh Parsley and Spices” was adapted from Najmieh Batmanglij’s “Food of Life: New Edition” (Mage Publishers, 2011)

Katherine’s Light Sweet Potato Flan with Vanilla Bean

Katherine’s Light Sweet Potato Flan with Vanilla Bean
By Katherine Tallmadge, MA, RD

A “Flan” is a custard dessert. This one is lighter and simpler than most. Sprinkle with toasted pecans for a bit of crunch. Make in six or eight “personal” soufflé dishes, or in one large dish. Perfect as a holiday dessert, it’s a deliciously fresh stand-in for a Pumpkin or Sweet Potato Pie.

Serves 6 – 8

Unsalted butter or butter spray for the ramekins
2 Cups 1% Lowfat Milk
2/3 cup Granulated Sugar
½ Vanilla Bean, halved lengthwise
¾ pound Sweet Potato (1 large)
2 Eggs
1 Egg Yolk
1 Tablespoon Warm Molasses (Optional)
1 ounce (1/4 cup) Chopped, Toasted Pecans (Optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place sweet potato on the oven rack and let cook for about 45 to 60 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Use long tongs to pull out of the oven. When warm to the touch, remove the peel. Mash the potato flesh and measure out ¾ cup.

Turn oven temperature down to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter or spray the insides of 6 or 8 ½-cup ramekins* or a 6-cup glass Pyrex bowl or soufflé dish.

In a medium saucepan, bring milk, sugar, and vanilla bean slowly to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat. Pull out the vanilla bean and scrape the vanilla seeds into the milk mixture. Return the pod to the pot and let sit for 15 minutes to let flavors blend.

Meanwhile, puree the 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk with the mashed sweet potato (I use a Cuisinart Smart Stick immersion hand blender). Add the sweet potato mixture to the warm milk mixture and puree until well blended – most easily done (and less messy) with an immersion hand blender. For a smooth custard, try not to create too many bubbles.

Pour the liquid into six or eight ramekins, or into the 6-cup soufflé dish. Set the soufflé dish(es) into a large baking pan and add boiling water until it is halfway up the outsides of the soufflé dish(es). Place in the center of the oven and bake until slightly wobbly in the middle – about 40 to 45 minutes for the individual ramekins or 1 hour if you’re using the larger soufflé dish.

To serve: Leave the custards in the water bath until they are not too hot to handle or until ready to serve. Slide a knife around the inside edge of the individual dishes and turn them onto serving plates. Or scoop out 6 or 8 servings from the large soufflé dish. Over each serving, drizzle the warm molasses and sprinkle chopped, toasted pecans.

*A “ramekin” is an oven-proof ceramic or glass serving dish, usually round, but sometimes in novelty shapes, ie, hearts or ovals.

The entire recipe = 1,000 calories (1,242 calories with molasses and pecans). Divided into 6 servings = 167 calories per serving (207 with molasses and pecans). Eight servings = 125 calories per serving (155 with molasses and pecans).

Katherine’s “Light Sweet Potato Flan with Vanilla Bean” was adapted from award-winning cookbook author, Deborah Madison’s “Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating From America’s Farmers’ Markets.”

Sweet Potatoes, considered one of the “Super Foods,” are loaded with Beta-Carotene, the orange pigment which is a potent anti-oxidant. It is important for your immune system, your skin, your vision, bones, reproduction, and may reduce cancer risk. But sweet potatoes provide so much more; they’re also high in fiber, vitamins C, E, the B vitamins, and minerals such as potassium, manganese, magnesium and iron.

Sweet potatoes’ origins date back thousands of years in Peru, became a favorite of Christopher Columbus once he landed in America, and grow particularly well in the American South, where they have become a staple.