Steamed Edamame with Tarragon Dipping Sauce

Edamame are fresh green soybeans in their pods. They are popular in Asia, particularly in Japan where they are served as a snack. Introduce them to family and friends as a fun finger food.

“They can become rather addictive when dipped in a tarragon sauce,”says Registered Dietitian and CIA Associate Professor Jennifer Stack. Dip the bean in the sauce and then put the whole pod in your mouth. While holding on to the end of the pod, gently pull the pod through your teeth and the beans will pop out into your mouth. Discard the pod and move onto the next one. Try this side dish with Stack’s salmon and wild rice stuffed cabbage rolls for a delicious Asian-inspired meal.

The following recipes are from Jennifer Stack’s new book, The CIA’s The Diabetes-Friendly Kitchen (Wiley, 2012).

Steamed Edamame
(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 6 cups water
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 cups edamame in pods (frozen or fresh)
• ½ cup Tarragon Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)

Directions

1. Bring water to a boil and add salt.
2. Boil edamame until beans are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and serve with dipping sauce.

Tarragon Dipping Sauce
(Makes ¾ cup)

Ingredients

• ¾ teaspoon arrowroot
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced tarragon
• 1 teaspoon minced shallot
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ¼ cup olive oil

Directions

1. Dissolve the arrowroot in 1 tablespoon of chicken broth to make paste. Bring remaining broth to a boil.
2. Stir paste into broth and allow broth to thicken slightly. Remove from heat and add vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, tarragon, shallot, and garlic.
3. Whisk in olive oil.

Recipes and photo courtesy The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved.

Sole, Zucchini, and Tomato Napoleon with Tomato-Caper Crudo

Today’s savvy consumers are looking for creative ways to trim the food budget, without sacrificing great taste or eating well. And Melissa d’Arabian, host of Food Network’s Ten Dollar Dinners (also the title of her new book), believes no one has to.

Here, Melissa creates a beautiful tower of sole, zucchini, and tomatoes by joining simple ingredients, then plating them with grace. As a complement to this dish, try her Rice with Fresh Herbs. And finish the feast with one of Melissa’s desserts such as Lemon-Ginger Pudding or the tried-and-true Buttery Shortbread.

Sole, Zucchini, and Tomato Napoleon with Tomato-Caper Crudo
(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

for Napoleon

• 1 large zucchini, trimmed and very thinly sliced
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 4- to 6-ounce sole fillets, halved crosswise (yields 4 2-inch-wide pieces)
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• Good-quality olive oil

for Crudo

• 2 large ripe tomatoes, cored
• 1 small or ½ large shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
• 1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. Napoleon: Place thinly sliced zucchini rounds in colander. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt and toss to evenly coat, then place in sink to drain while you prepare crudo and broil fish.
2. Crudo: Slice cored tomatoes into ⅛-inch-thick rounds. Set 4 best slices aside for napoleon and chop remaining slices into small cubes. Place chopped tomatoes in medium bowl and add shallot, capers, balsamic vinegar, plus salt, if desired. Stir and set aside.
3. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat broiler to high. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place sole fillets on top. Season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper and broil until fillets spring back to light pressure, 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.
4. Place 1 tomato slice on each plate and sprinkle with a little of remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Arrange zucchini slices in overlapping circle on top of tomatoes. Set piece of sole on top of each tomato-zucchini stack. Use slotted spoon to top each serving with tomato-caper crudo. Sprinkle with basil, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

Rice with Fresh Herbs

Melissa d’Arabian, host of Food Network’s Ten Dollar Dinners (also the title of her new book), believes no one has to sacrifice great taste or eating well for budget.

This side dish is a great complement to Melissa’s entree Sole, Zucchini, and Tomato Napoleon with Tomato-Caper Crudo. And finish the feast with one of Melissa’s desserts such as Lemon-Ginger Pudding or the tried-and-true Buttery Shortbread.

Rice with Fresh Herbs
(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra if desired
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, chives, cilantro, mint, tarragon, or combination of many

Directions

1. Bring large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add rice and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, 12-15 minutes. Drain through fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Shake sieve to drain as much water as possible.
2. Melt butter in large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add rice and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and stir with heatproof rubber spatula to coat all rice with butter. Once rice is warmed through, about 3 minutes, transfer rice to serving bowl and add herbs plus additional salt, if desired. Stir with fork to incorporate and fluff rice and serve warm or at room temperature.

Favorite Holiday Recipes from the Staff of the Post

We challenged the staff of The Saturday Evening Post to a no-holds-barred cook off of classic holiday dishes. Here are the top four recipes as chosen by our panel of all too willing editors turned tasters.

Lemon Rosemary Chicken

(Makes 8 3-ounce servings)

“Thanksgiving for a few? Give the gobbler a break with this simple and flavorful baked chicken recipe. It’s perfect when you’re only feeding part of the clan!” —Elise Lindstrom, Dietitian

Ingredients

• 1 3-pound chicken
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• Salt (optional)
• Pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small lemon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Chop two sprigs of rosemary and toss in olive oil with pepper and optional salt. Brush oil mixture all over chicken, including inside.
2. Pierce lemon several times with fork then place inside chicken cavity with two whole sprigs of rosemary. Loosely tie bird closed with string.
3. Place chicken in pan, breast down. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, then turn chicken over and cook for another 30 to 35 minutes. Increase temperature to 400° and cook for 20 minutes more.
4. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Per serving
Calories: 140
Total Fat: 8 g (Sat. Fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 330 mg
Carbohydrate: 0 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 17 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 medium-fat

Minnesota Wild Rice Stuffing

(Makes 10 ½-cup servings)

“Because my family is from Minnesota, our Christmas always includes this Midwest take on a traditional side dish. Made with long-grain, wild rice, this stuffing will keep you warm even on the coldest winter day.” —Brittany Seaburg, Circulation Coordinator

Ingredients

• ⅟₂ cup chopped celery
• ⅟₃ cup chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 egg
• 1 ⅟₂ cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• ⅟₄ teaspoon salt (optional)
• 3 cups torn whole-wheat artisan bread
• 1 ⅟₂ cups cooked wild rice

Directions

In skillet, sauté celery and onion in butter until tender. In large bowl, combine egg, broth, parsley, pepper, and optional salt. Mix in celery/onion, torn bread, and rice. Spoon mixture into greased 1-1/2-quart baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 to 20 minutes more or until set.

Per serving
Calories: 142
Total Fat: 5.6 g (Sat. Fat: 2.3 g)
Sodium: 278 mg
Carbohydrate: 30 g
Fiber: 3.7 g
Protein: 8.1 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 carbohydrate

Pancetta & Parm Brussels Sprouts

(Makes 6 ½-cup servings.)

“My siblings never thought they liked Brussels sprouts—until I introduced them to this recipe last Thanksgiving. Now they want sprouts for Christmas and New Year’s, too!” —Corey Michael Dalton, Associate Editor

Ingredients

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• ⅟₂ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅟₄ cup finely chopped pancetta (about 1 ounce)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Boil 2 quarts of water. Add kosher salt and halved Brussels sprouts to water. Boil sprouts for 4 or 5 minutes until bright green. Drain and set aside. In pan, cook pancetta over medium heat until it releases its juices, then add olive oil. Sauté garlic and pancetta in olive oil for several minutes. Add sprouts and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. Serve sprouts with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Per serving
Calories: 65
Total Fat: 1.9 g (Sat. Fat: 0.7 g)
Sodium: 302 mg
Carbohydrate: 7.9 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 6 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1.5 nonstarchy vegetable

Lemon Pound Cake with Raspberry Sauce

(Makes 12 servings.)

“The sweet yet tart flavor of the lemon cake paired with the red raspberry drizzle makes this the perfect dessert for any holiday meal. Add a dollop of whipped cream to really push it over the edge.” —Jeff Slavens, Special Projects Coordinator

Ingredients

• 1 ⅟₂ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ⅟₂ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• ⅟₂ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ⅟₂ cup canola oil
• 12 ounces frozen raspberries
• ⅟₄ cup sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 1/2-inch loaf pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk dry ingredients into wet ingredients. With rubber spatula, fold canola oil into batter until all incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and slice.
2. To make raspberry sauce, place raspberries and sugar in saucepan and bring to boil. Pour through sieve to remove seeds. Drizzle sauce over cake slices.

Per serving (cake)
Calories: 247
Total Fat: 10.6 g (Sat. Fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 197 mg
Carbohydrate: 36 g
Fiber: 0.5 g
Protein: 4.3 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 carbohydrate, 2 fat

Per serving (sauce)
Calories: 30
Total Fat: 0.2 g (Sat. Fat 0 g)
Sodium: 0 mg
Carbohydrate: 7.5 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 0.3 g
Diabetic Exchanges: ⅟₂ carbohydrate

For more holiday recipes from the Post staff, go here.

New and Nutritious: Double Chocolate Pancakes and Upside-Down Pan Pizza

New this spring, Slim & Scrumptious is filled with more than 75 classic and innovative recipes for every meal of the day. Even if you want Chocolate Chip Pancakes for breakfast, nutrition expert Joy Bauer proves that family favorites can taste great with just a fraction of the fat and calories.

(William Morrow Cookbooks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; $24.99; April 6, 2010; Hardcover)

Here we bring you two weekend favorites.

Double Chocolate Pancakes with Strawberry Sauce

(Makes 6 servings)

Strawberry Sauce

• 1 16-ounce package frozen unsweetened whole strawberries
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Pancakes

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Sauce:

In large saucepan, combine frozen fruit, syrup, and 2 tablespoons water. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, about 10 to 15 minutes. As sauce simmers, break up whole berries with wooden spoon or fork.

Pancakes:

In large bowl, whisk flours, cocoa, sugar, flaxseed, baking powder, and salt. In medium bowl, lightly beat whole egg and egg white. Add the milk, oil, and vanilla, and whisk together. Pour the wet ingredients over dry and stir until just blended. Don’t overmix. Carefully fold in chocolate chips. Let batter rest for 10 minutes.
When strawberry sauce has reached syrupy consistency, remove from heat.
Coat large skillet or griddle with oil spray. Preheat over medium heat. When pan is hot (after about 2 minutes), ladle about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto surface. Cook pancakes until small bubbles form around edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip pancakes over and cook about 1 minute longer. Recoat skillet between batches.
Serve 2 pancakes with 1/3 cup warm strawberry sauce and sprinkling of chocolate chips on each plate.

per serving
Calories: 242
Total fat: 9 g
Saturated fat: 3 g
Protein: 7 g
Carbohydrate: 38 g
Fiber: 4 g
Cholesterol: 35 mg
Sodium: 260 mg

Upside-Down Pan Pizza with the Works
(Makes 6 servings)

“One serving of this fun, upside-down concoction has far less calories, fat, and sodium than a traditional New York-style slice.” —Joy Bauer

• 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey or beef (at least 90 percent lean)
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 portobello mushrooms, stems removed, caps diced
• 1 (28-ounce) can no-salt added crushed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup whole-grain baking or pancake mix
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat 13 x 9-inch baking dish with oil spray and set aside. Coat large skillet with oil spray and preheat over medium heat. Add ground meat, onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms to skillet and saute until meat is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Drain off any liquid. Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and stir with meat mixture.
Spoon tomato-meat mixture into prepared baking dish, and spread out to form even layer. Sprinkle with cheeses.
In medium bowl, whisk baking mix, milk, whole egg, and egg whites. Pour this batter over cheese-topped mixture. Batter may be runny but will cook through. Sprinkle additional oregano and crushed red pepper, if desired.
Bake 30 minutes or until top is golden-brown and knife inserted in center of crust comes out clean.
Let cool for 5 minutes, then cut into 6 pieces and serve.

per serving
Calories: 388
Total fat: 12 g
Saturated fat: 4 g
Protein: 41 g
Carbohydrate: 27 g
Fiber: 5 g
Cholesterol: 105 mg
Sodium: 690 mg