The 150 Healthiest 15-Minute Recipes on Earth (42 page)
Read The 150 Healthiest 15-Minute Recipes on Earth Online
Authors: Jonny Bowden
Yield
: 25 dreams
Per Serving
: 84 Calories; 6g Fat (58.7% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; trace Cholesterol; 14mg Sodium
No-Fuss, Fast, and Healthy Chocolate Cherry FrostyFrom Dr. Jonny
: Who among us doesn’t remember the fabulous taste and texture of a milk shake? They were a favorite “drugstore” order back in the days when you could still get a chocolate egg cream at the local “soda shoppe.” (Yes, I’m dating myself, but so what?) Chef Jeannette has come up with a winner here: raw cacao, rich with blood-pressure-lowering flavanols, immune-system boosting whey protein powder, and a good old potassium-rich banana. This is so darn yummy, cool, frosty, and rich, it’ll beat the pants off a standard boring milk shake on a hot afternoon.
2 cups (450 ml) unsweetened chocolate almond milk (e.g., Blue Diamond Natural)
3 scoops unsweetened vanilla whey protein powder
2 1/2 tablespoons (12 g) raw cacao powder (or 2 tablespoons [10 g] unsweetened cocoa powder), to taste
1 frozen banana (or to taste, for sweetness and creaminess)
1 1/2 cups (233 g) frozen pitted sweet cherries
2 drops vanilla extract
Place all ingredients into a powerful blender and process until smooth.
Yield
: 4 frosties
Per Serving
: 150 Calories; 2g Fat (10.4% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 23mg Cholesterol; 35mg Sodium
Fiber Bonanza: Oat Bran Kheer on the QuickFrom Dr. Jonny
: Here’s another Indian delicacy I had never heard of until Chef Jeannette turned me on to it. Kheer is a warmly spiced Indian pudding usually made with rice, but this pumped-up version uses oat bran as a base instead. It’s much faster to prepare, much lower in glycemic impact (meaning it doesn’t raise your blood sugar very high nor very quickly), and it’s simply loaded with fiber. Oat bran has a terrific reputation for lowering cholesterol, but it does even more than that for the heart. Oat bran contains antioxidant compounds called
avenanthramides
that actually help prevent the LDL cholesterol from being damaged by free radicals; it’s only when cholesterol is damaged (or oxidized) that it becomes a problem in the body, so the ability of oat bran to help prevent this damage is one of its most important benefits for the heart! The fat from coconut and nuts gets a thumbs-up for health, and you even get a dollop of protein from the milk. You can use either xylitol or erythritol as a sweetener—both are sugar alcohols with minimal impact on blood sugar, and both taste exactly the same as white sugar with none of the negatives. And by the way, this dish makes a great breakfast, not to mention a fabulous “anytime” snack. Tasty, satisfying, and good for you too!
1 can (13.5 ounces or 385 g) light coconut milk
1 cup (235 ml) milk (cow’s, unsweetened vanilla soy, or almond milk)
2 tablespoons (30 g) erythritol or xylitol
1/4 cup (35 g) raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cup (100 g) oat bran
1/4 cup (28 g) sliced toasted almonds
1/4 cup shelled roasted pistachios
Combine the coconut milk, milk, sweetener, raisins, and cardamom in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. When the mixture reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and whisk in the oat bran for 10 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in both nuts. The cereal will continue to thicken as it cools. Serve hot.
Yield
: 4 to 6 servings (about 3 cups)
Per Serving
: 225 Calories; 14g Fat (45.2% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 5mg Cholesterol; 39mg Sodium
Sinless Strawberry Dark Chocolate Ricotta DreamFrom Dr. Jonny
: Want to perform your own little mind-body experiment to see how what we think affects our physiology? Good. Think of dark chocolate swirled with strawberries, walnuts, and creamy ricotta cheese. Now notice what’s happening: We call that mouthwatering, and your mouth watered just by thinking about the ingredients in one of my absolute favorite desserts by Chef Jeannette. And this just happens to be a dessert you don’t have to feel guilty about eating. Dark chocolate is rich in blood-pressure-lowering flavanols while ricotta cheese is high in protein, calcium, and vitamin D. The strawberries have a cancer-fighting chemical called
ellagic acid
not to mention a host of antioxidants and phytochemicals. And the walnuts are a good source of plant-based omega-3 fats, fiber, and minerals. The taste—well, let me just say three words:
rich
,
creamy
,
satisfying
. This baby will nip a chocolate craving in the bud with far more nourishment that any conventional dessert.
1/4 cup (44 g) high-quality dark chocolate chips (try grain sweetened for best health impact or Callebaut for high-end cocoa bliss)
1 cup (250 g) fresh, low-fat ricotta cheese
2 cups (340 g) fresh sliced strawberries
1/4 cup (30 g) crushed toasted walnuts, optional
In a medium glass bowl, melt the chocolate chips at 75 percent power in a microwave in 30-second intervals until soft, and stir gently. You can also melt them in a double boiler over medium heat (or use a metal mixing bowl set into a medium saucepan with 1 inch [2.5 cm] of water). Add the ricotta and stir until well incorporated. Top with the strawberries and sprinkle the walnuts over all.
Yield
: 4 servings
Per Serving
: 208 Calories; 13g Fat (51.9% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 19mg Cholesterol; 80mg Sodium
From Chef Jeannette
Variation Tip
: Use any seasonal fruit in place of the strawberries. This dessert is also wonderful (and antioxidant loaded!) with fresh raspberries. While lacking the benefits of cacao—for those of you who don’t like dark chocolate (there must be someone out there)—try high-quality white chocolate chips for an alternative protein-packed snack. Try the white version with 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and fresh blueberries.
NUTRITIONAL NOTE
Dark chocolate is loaded with compounds known as flavonoids. These nutritive compounds, found in plant foods, are nature’s way of protecting the plants from environmental toxins. Flavonoids offer similar protection to our bodies, often functioning as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. The particular subclass of flavonoids found in cocoa are called flavanols, and their claim to fame is the ability to prevent fatty substances in the bloodstream from clogging up your arteries. That’s a good thing. By reducing the ability to form clots, you also reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack!
Flavanols also raise the level of a terrific compound in the body called nitric oxide, which is critical for both healthy circulation and healthy blood pressure. In fact, one study showed that dark chocolate was able to lower blood pressure, and it’s probably because of the positive effect of cocoa flavanols on nitric oxide.
As an added benefit, dark chocolate is a good source of magnesium, another heart-healthy mineral!
From Dr. Jonny
: I’m such a huge fan of pumpkin I’m always including it on lists I’m asked to do by the magazines, lists that include “superfoods you didn’t know about” or “great foods for weight loss.” Why? Because this underappreciated vegetable is loaded with vitamin A, low in sugar and calories, and high in fiber. Not to mention it’s associated with some of the best eating holidays! Problem is it usually comes in the form of a high-calorie pie, which, if bought commercially, nearly always is loaded with trans fats and sugar. So here’s the perfect way to eat this fabulous veggie—high in protein (from the silken tofu, which, together with the mashed banana, gives this dip the most luscious creamy texture), pretty low in sugar (for a dish this delicious), and yet just as typically “pumpkin pie” tasting as the most fattening holiday dessert. Best of all, it’s built for speed—you can whip this up in just about the time it takes to open a can! I love this dip!
