Recipe Files- Delicious Dietician

Last week's recipe files for the Produce Club came to us from the Delicious Dietician, a group of Registered Dietitians who provide nutrition services in offices located in both Mobile and Baldwin Counties. It goes without saying, then, that you can be sure these recipes incorporating our local produce and grass-fed meats are not only scrumptious but healthy- low in sodium, sugar and fat!

We are pleased to carry the Delicious Dietician line of spices and vinegars in the WestSide Grocery, and I am currently loving the Thai Spice flavor- a sugar and salt free way to spice up chicken, beef or lamb for a weeknight dinner! Come try them out. These popular spices are now carried in WholeFoods Stores and have been featured in National Magazines and on TV!

Thanks Haley Lacey of the Delicious Dietician for pulling together these recipe ideas.

Lamb and Veggie Bake

4 mini eggplants

2 each squash and zucchini

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons pine nuts

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

4 chopped tomatoes

1/2 pound ground lamb, browned

1 teaspoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons Thai seasoning

3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 350°

Slice each eggplant longways into ½ inch slices.  Slice squash and zucchini into ½ inch slices. 

Lightly toast pinenuts in a sauté pan, about 3 minutes.  Set aside.

Sauté onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to skillet and simmer, uncovered.

Add meat, Thai seasoning, and allspice, to pan with onion mixture and mix well. 

Layer sliced eggplant, squash and zucchini in the bottom of a casserole dish.  Cover with meat and onion mixture.  Bake at 350°, 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Sprinkle with marinated feta and chopped parsley before serving. 

Summer Succotash

1 slice center-cut bacon

2 cups chopped sweet onion

2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)

1 bag lima beans or peas

2 tablespoons Red Muscadine Vinegar (or other red wine vinegar)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3  tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons torn basil

Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan; coarsely chop bacon.

 Increase the heat to medium-high. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn kernels; sauté for 3 minutes or until lightly charred. Add lima beans, and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in vinegar and next 5 ingredients (through bell pepper); cook 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with bacon and basil.

Easy Fruit Cobbler

1 cup self rising flour

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

½ stick melted butter

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp vanilla extract

juice of 1 lemon

4 cups blueberries, sliced peaches, or blackberries

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Rinse fruit and layer in a casserole dish.  Squeeze lemon juice over fruit. 

Add flour, sugar, egg, cinnamon, and vanilla to a mixing bowl, stir to combine.  Texture should be crumbly. 

Pour flour mixture over fruit and drizzle melted butter over the top.  Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. 

Okra and Tomatoes

4 tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 lb okra, sliced into ½ inch rounds

1 sweet onion, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

¼ cup torn basil leaves

salt

pepper

Add olive oil to large sauté pan or dutch oven.  Saute onion and garlic on medium high heat until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. 

Reduce heat to medium and add okra, tomatoes, and 1 cup broth.  Let simmer 20-30 minutes until okra becomes tender.  Add more broth as liquid evaporates.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve immediately.  Delicious as a side dish or over grits with shrimp.