Filed under: Recipe Rehab with Tanya Zuckerbrot , Nutrition & Supplements Getty Tamales are a tradition for many Mexican-American families and Ida from Spring, TX would like to see a lighter version of her favorite dish. It has been her goal over this past year to eat better and to teach her three children to make healthy choices. She has recently incorporated a fitness program into her daily life and has been trying to find healthy recipes that taste great. Making tamales for special occasions throughout the year has been a tradition passed down by her grandparents. She would really like to continue that tradition, but without the large amounts of lard used in their recipe. Most of the lard in this recipe is located in the outer layer mixed with the masa corn flour and baking powder. I will reduce the fat and calories in this layer by cutting out the lard and replacing it with pork broth and canola oil. As for the filling, I will cut the calories by using a lean cut of pork and adding some more chopped vegetables instead of the traditional shredded pork butt filling. By reusing the broth that the pork was cooked in I am able to add more flavor to the masa layer and reduce the calories to create this lighter version. Ida, I hope this helps you to make healthy eating a tradition with your young family. Ingredients Filling 2 pounds pork tenderloin 3 cups water 1 teaspoon canola oil 1 medium onion 1 medium bell pepper 3 garlic cloves 1 plum tomato 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons dried chili peppers, crushed 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup tomato paste Dough 4 cups masa corn flour 4 teaspoons canola oil 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 cups pork broth (reserved from cooking the pork) 18 to 20 dried corn husks Instructions 1. Prepare the pork by placing it in pot and adding enough water to cover the meat. Bring it to boil. Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the meat is tender. 2. When the meat is done, remove it from the broth and set aside on a plate to cool. Reserve the broth. When the pork is cool enough to handle, shred it with two forks adding enough broth to keep it moist. 3. Heat the oil in a large skillet and saut
Archive for October, 2010
Filed under: Recipe Rehab with Tanya Zuckerbrot , Nutrition & Supplements Getty Apples are abundant this time of year. I love them fresh, but there are so many great ways to cook them up, I can’t help but make a few good apple recipes during the fall season. Here are some lighter versions of my favorite apple dessert recipes. Apple Crisp The traditional topping for sliced apples is a combination of brown sugar and butter, which really adds a lot of empty calories to this dish. I will make a healthier topping with oatmeal, canola oil and maple syrup. Ingredients 8 to 10 medium-sized apples, peeled and sliced 2 tablespoons sugar 2 cups rolled oats 2/3 cup whole wheat flour 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 3 tablespoons canola oil 4 tablespoons maple syrup Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 375
Filed under: Recipe Rehab with Tanya Zuckerbrot , Nutrition & Supplements Getty Chewy, rich blondies are hard to resist when you are in the mood for something sweet. One of our readers would like a little help with her blondie recipe to transform one of her favorite treats into something healthier. Large amounts of sugar and butter give these treats a lot of flavor, but also make them calorie-dense. Nutritionally, however, they are not so dense, consisting of mostly empty calories without a lot of vitamins or minerals. Since blondies are often described as brownies without the chocolate I thought I would use one of my favorite substitutions for brownie recipes in this rehab: beans! In brownies, I will often replace the fat with black bean puree, but in order to keep the pale color of the blondies, I will use a white bean such as cannellini beans (although any white bean would work). Beans are an excellent source of fiber and help to add a little more protein to this recipe as well. Instead of the traditional flour base, I will use white whole wheat flour and wheat germ to boost the nutrition a bit further and to include more folic acid and vitamin E . As for the sweetener, I will reduce the amount of sugar, but add some extra molasses to maintain the rich flavor. These treats are so tasty; you will never believe how healthy they are. Ingredients 1/4 cup canola oil 1/2 cup brown sugar or 1/4 cup Splenda blend 1/4 cup molasses 2 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup white beans, rinsed, drained and pureed in a food processor 1 cup white whole wheat flour 1/2 cup wheat germ 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips Instructions 1. Grease the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 325
