Read The 150 Healthiest 15-Minute Recipes on Earth Online
Authors: Jonny Bowden
The 150 Healthiest 15-Minute Recipes on Earth (30 page)
Yield
: 1 omelet
Per Serving
: 250 Calories; 21g Fat (78.1% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; 455mg Cholesterol; 257mg Sodium
From Chef Jeannette
Variation Tip
: For additional calcium and vitamin D, add a tablespoon or two of grated or crumbled cheese to your omelet just before you fold it over. Try feta, Parmesan, or sliced string cheese.
To Complete the Meal
: You can add any number of high-fiber, low-sugar carbohydrates. Try sliced apples and pears with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice; a bowl of plain instant oatmeal with cinnamon and a sprinkling of xylitol; or chopped spinach and diced tomatoes steam-sautéed in a spray of olive oil with sprinkles of salt and pepper.
NUTRITIONAL NOTE
Eggs are one of the most perfect foods on the planet.
And, wait for it not, that includes the yolk.
Yup, the yolk, that poor misunderstood but essential component of the egg that too often gets thrown out in a misguided attempt to avoid cholesterol and fat. So let’s clear a few things up about eggs, cholesterol, fat, and health.
Number one: The cholesterol in eggs has virtually no effect on the cholesterol in your blood.
Number two: The fat in the egg yolk is mostly monounsaturated fat, the same kind found in olive oil! Yes, you heard that right. Of the approximately 5 grams of total fat in one large egg, only 1.6 grams are saturated (2 grams are monounsaturated, and the rest is polyunsaturated).
Number three: Many of the nutrients that make eggs so incredibly healthy are found in the yolk. Examples: lutein and zeaxanthin, two members of the carotenoid family that are essential for eye health. The yolk also contains choline—important for brain health—and vitamin D.
The idea that eating eggs is bad for your heart is a myth. No study has linked egg eating to greater risk of heart disease. In fact, quite the opposite. “The only large study to look at the impact of egg consumption on heart disease…found no connection between the two,” according to
Harvard Health
, a publication of Harvard Medical School, in 2000.
Research has also shown that eggs eaten at the start of the day can reduce your daily calorie intake, prevent snacking between meals, and keep you satisfied.
Worth noting: Stay away from scrambled eggs at open buffets. Although the cholesterol in eggs poses no real harm to you, when that cholesterol is “scrambled” and then exposed to oxygen for a long time, it becomes damaged by a process known as oxidation, similar to what happens when you leave metal outside in the rain and it rusts. When cholesterol is oxidized, it accelerates the development of heart disease. Bottom line: Oxidized cholesterol is not something you really want in your body. Better to poach, soft-, or hard-boil. If you do scramble eggs, eat them quickly and don’t let them sit around for a long time!
When it comes to eggs, and any animal food, for that matter, quality matters a great deal. Free-range eggs supposedly come from chickens that roam free and are able to peck at insects and seeds rather than being confined to feedlots and fattened on grain. The fat (and the eggs) of such chickens is a lot healthier, as are the chickens themselves. (Some eggs of free-range chickens are even a decent source of omega-3 fats!).
Problem is, the term
free-range
has been watered down to the point where it’s almost meaningless. In some cases,
free-range
simply means that the chicken has access to the outdoors via a little “doggy gate,” even if it rarely actually takes advantage of it. Even so, we strongly recommend that you buy free-range eggs, as those are the only ones that come from chickens that have a fighting chance of seeing the outdoors and eating a diet more suited to their metabolism.
From Dr. Jonny
: This quickie cake in a pan is so darn easy to make, even your kids can do it. And it works in all seasons—all you have to do is choose any soft fruit growing out of the ground right now. The combinations are endless. And let’s talk about coconut oil for a minute: Forget everything you’ve heard; this is a superfood. (We highly recommend Barlean’s Organic Coconut Oil, available everywhere.) Coconut oil has important fatty acids that are antiviral and antimicrobial, such as lauric acid. And the flax adds cancer-fighting lignans, fiber, and a bit of omega-3s. This dish satisfies just like a baked product—better, actually, because it has only a small amount of flour and sweetener and not a hint of syrup in sight. It does triple duty—great for breakfast, brunch, or a mini-meal snack!
2 tablespoons (28 ml) coconut oil
1/2 cup (62 g) whole wheat pastry flour or oat flour
1/2 cup (120 ml) any milk (cow’s, unsweetened soy, or almond)
2 tablespoons (13 g) ground flaxseed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 to 1 1/2 cups (220 g) berries (bite-size), diced peaches (unpeeled), diced mango (peeled), or diced ripe pears (unpeeled), fresh or frozen, partly thawed (leave them on the countertop while pan cake is cooking)
2 tablespoons (24 g) Sucanat, xylitol, or erythritol
1/2 large lemon
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C, gas mark 7). Place the coconut oil in a cast-iron skillet and place the skillet in the oven while preparing the batter.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, milk, flax, eggs, and cinnamon. Mix with a fork until just combined, leaving some lumps. Remove the pan from the oven and pour the batter into the melted oil. Return the pan to the oven and cook for 12 minutes.
Remove the pan, spoon the fruit evenly over the pan cake (it may have puffed way up in places), sprinkle the sweetener over the fruit, and squeeze lemon over all. Return the pan to the oven and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove, cut into quarters, cool slightly, and serve.
Yield
: 4 servings
Per Serving
: 201 Calories; 11g Fat (48.6% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 110mg Cholesterol; 52mg Sodium
From Chef Jeannette
Cooking many rounds of traditional pancakes can be time consuming. For the speediest pan-cake breakfast, use this recipe to get four servings on the table in just over 15 minutes!
From Dr. Jonny
: My friends make fun of me when I suggest having beans for breakfast, but when they try this dish they see what I’m talking about! To me, the secret of managing weight (and eating less food in general) is to keep your blood sugar from going on a roller-coaster ride. (When blood sugar shoots up, as it does when you eat high-carb foods, it also crashes back down, leaving you ravenously hungry.) The best way to keep your blood sugar even (and keep cravings at bay) is to eat high-fiber foods. They enter the bloodstream slowly and keep you full and satisfied longer. And no food accomplishes this better than beans! Mix with cheese, seeds, and apples, and you have a hearty breakfast that will keep you going all morning. P.S. This also makes a quick but satisfying snack with great staying power!
2/3 cup (160 ml) water
4 small crisp apples (Gala or Pink Lady work well), cored and diced, unpeeled
1 cup (164 g) cooked chickpeas (drained and rinsed, if canned)
1 cup (120 g) grated Cheddar cheese
1 cup (145 g) toasted tamari sunflower seeds
Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat in a large cast-iron (or regular) skillet. Add the apples and cook, uncovered, until the water has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chickpeas and toss gently to warm them. Sprinkle the cheese over all and cook for 1 minute or until the cheese is melted.
Top with the sunnies and serve immediately.
Yield
: 4 servings
Per Serving
: 458 Calories; 29g Fat (53.9% calories from fat); 18g Protein; 37g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 31mg Cholesterol; 310mg Sodium
NUTRITIONAL NOTE
Cinnamon has gotten an impressive reputation of late, largely because of studies showing that it helps lower blood sugar. Research by C. Leigh Broadhurst and others at the U.S. Department of Agriculture tested the effects of 49 different herbs, spices, and medicinal plants on blood sugar and found cinnamon was the star of the show. Its active ingredient—MHCP (methylhydroxychalcone polymer, if anyone ever asks)—actually mimics the function of insulin, increasing the ability of cells to take up sugar.
But this isn’t all cinnamon has to recommend it. It’s a spice that contains
anthocyanins
, which improve the function of your capillaries. It’s also great for digestion, and, believe it or not, for relieving gas and nausea.
I find cinnamon to be a great spice to use in high-carb dishes. It also seems to lower triglycerides (which can go up on high-carb diets), and according to some research, also lowers “bad” cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes. One animal study even showed that dietary cinnamon reduced blood pressure. Best of all, the health benefits are available in the cheapest kind of store-bought cinnamon. You don’t need the fancy stuff at all!
Hot-and-Healthy Cereal
From Dr. Jonny
: So if you’ve read anything I’ve written about food, you probably know I’m not a fan of prepared instant oatmeal. And that’s putting it mildly. It tends to have a ton of sugar, little fiber, a bunch of artificial flavors and colors, and is way more processed than the “real” kind of oatmeal. Try our version for a superfast, satisfying, and nutrient-loaded start to your day. Just be sure to use a whole-grain version of the instant cereal as Chef Jeannette indicates. (If you have just a bit more time, use the regular kind—it doesn’t take that much longer to make!) Our version offers real fruit (berries and cherries are nutritional powerhouses). This dish is actually a variation on a favorite of bodybuilders everywhere—oatmeal mixed with high-quality whey protein powder. (I do this all the time—they mix well and taste terrific.) Regarding nuts: Let’s remember that research shows clearly that eating nuts on a regular basis significantly lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease—and does not contribute to obesity (especially if you keep the portions small). This dish is a super way to start your day and tastes pretty good even when you save it in the fridge and eat it cold the next day. The flavors and sweetness meld together perfectly!
3/4 cup (175 ml) water, plus more if needed
1 to 2 tablespoons (7.5 to 15 g) dried berries (try cherries, cranberries, or blueberries)
1/3 cup (80 g) instant whole-grain hot cereal (plain, no additives, such as cream of wheat, quinoa cream, or buckwheat cream)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon (8 g) unsweetened vanilla whey protein powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon (20 g) sweetener, or to taste (try blackstrap molasses, honey, xylitol, or a packet of stevia powder/a few drops of liquid stevia)
1 teaspoon ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons (18 g) toasted chopped nuts (try slivered almonds, walnuts, pecans, or sunflower seeds)
1/4 to 1/3 cup (60 to 80 ml) milk (use cow’s, or unsweetened vanilla almond, soy, or rice milk), optional
1/2 cup (75 g) bite-size fresh seasonal fruit, optional (berries, sliced banana, peaches, or pears work well)
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a quick boil over high heat. Stir in the berries and cereal and remove from the heat or lower the heat and cook for 30 seconds to 2 minutes (read the package directions or judge by consistency). If the cereal gets too thick, add a few more tablespoons of water to thin. Stir in the vanilla, whey protein powder, cinnamon, sweetener, flaxseed, and nuts until well incorporated. If using, stir in the milk and/or fruit and serve immediately.
