Eating With Color!

One of the healthiest ways you can eat is by choosing fruits and vegetables with a variety of colors. Why? Well, not only do different fruits and vegetables provide us with a variety of nutrients as well as fiber, but they also contain phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are protective compounds, many of which act as antioxidants and help to prevent cancer and a variety of other diseases. SO, simply stated, eat meals full of color so that you get a variety of phytochemicals! OK, enough science for today folks... lets talk food :)

Stuffed Yellow Peppers with quinoa, feta and spinach-basil pesto drizzle

This dish is out of this world. I was very impressed with myself after making this! It has quinoa, chickpeas, raisins, and spinach in the stuffing-- lots of vibrant colors and bold flavors. NOT to mention how satisfying it is. One of these peppers and you will be set for the rest of the night.


Stuffed Peppers:

• 2 Yellow Peppers (you can choose any color you like, I prefer the yellow and orange peppers for their sweetness)

Stuffing:

• 1 cup quinoa (you can also use couscous)
• 1 cup chickpeas
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup feta
• 2 tbsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cardamon

Pesto Drizzle:

• 1/2 cup spinach
• 1 cup basil
• 1/2 cup parmesan
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2. Bring 1 1/4 cups water + cardamon and quinoa to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to simmer and cook until water is fully absorbed. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and lemon zest.

3. Place the quinoa in a large bowl and add the beans, raisins, spinach, feta and 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Slice the tops off the peppers and remove all the ribs and seeds. Stuff the peppers with the filling and drizzle top with olive oil. 

5. Place peppers in a baking dish. Fill the baking dish with 3/4-inch of hot water. Bake until the filling is golden brown and the peppers are cooked through. Approximately 45- 50 minutes.

Sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine the basil, spinach, olive oil,  garlic, lemon juice, parmesan, and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

Enjoy :)
                                                           Arugula and Apple Salad

This salad is super quick to make and one of my personal favorite weeknight meals. It is light yet so incredibly tasty.  Since it is fall and apples are abundant, you can really choose any kind that you like. I personally love Honeycrisps and think the work really well with this salad. I chose the arugula because it has a peppery bite to it that works well with the sweetness of the apple. 


Apple and Arugula Salad:

• Arugula lettuce
• 1 Honeycrisp apple
• 1 Lemon
• Honey
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions: Slice apples and toss with fresh arugula lettuce. Zest 1/2 of a fresh lemon and combine with salad. Juice 1/2 lemon into the salad. Add some honey and extra virgin olive oil to coat the salad. Enjoy!

Protein-Packed Chocolate Chunk Oat Cookies

"A cookie a day keeps the doctor away?" No, that phrase really only pertains to apples. BUT my cookie recipe is very healthy and packed with protein and fiber to keep you going throughout the day! It will also curb your sweet tooth cravings without increasing your waist line. These cookies have no butter or sugar! Thats right- you heard me... and they still taste delicious. 

Chocolate-Chunk Oat Cookies

• 1 cup mashed banana (2 small)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup chunky natural peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup nonfat yogurt
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1.5 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp wheat bran
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup dark chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Combine the wet ingredients: banana, honey, peanut butter, and vanilla in a large bowl.

2. Combine the dry ingredients: oats, whole wheat flour, yogurt, coconut, cinnamon, bran, baking soda and chocolate chunks in a small bowl.

3. Mix the dry ingredients into the large bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir until everything is completely mixed together.

4. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and drop cookies onto baking sheet- you can make them any size you'd like!

5. Bake at 350 for approximately 12-16 minutes.

6. Enjoy :)

Eat up, Drink up!

Last night I was craving a healthy, yet hearty meal.  As I was walking through Whole Foods, the shrimp was calling to me, so I decided to make lemon-garlic shrimp with whole wheat pasta. BOY was it good. Sometimes I have no idea how I can make something that is incredibly simple taste so good, but then I realize that it all comes down to choosing the right ingredients and understanding how flavors pair together. All this recipe requires is raw shrimp, a whole lemon, lemon zest, 2 cloves of garlic and extra virgin olive oil.  Here's a picture of the lemon-garlic shrimp:

 Toss the shrimp into some fiber-rich whole wheat pasta, and you have an quick, easy, and delicious meal!

To go along with the shrimp, I picked up a bottle of my favorite wine - Brandcott Estate's Sauvignon Blanc, which is from the Malborough region in New Zealand. It is ridiculously good- light, crisp, with hints of grapefruit, and an acidity that works really well with the shrimp. Basically every Sauvignon Blanc from this region is amazing. Please try it- you will thank me :)


Here's some fun nutrition facts:


Shrimp:

• VERY low in calories and fat (a 4oz serving has less than 1g fat and 112 calories)
• Very high in protein (same 4oz serving has 27 grams protein)
• High in B12, Vitamin D, and iron- all of which are extremely important micronutrients
• Omega 3's, which are good for heart health and inflammation
• *While very low in fat, shrimp is high in cholesterol. HOWEVER, it actually helps to raise your good cholesterol, which is especially important for women.

Wine:

• Believe it or not, alcohol is perfectly healthy to consume in moderation and can have a wide variety of health benefits! 
• Studies show drinking in moderation can lower risk of cardiovascular disease (any alcohol can do this, not just wine!)
• Red wine is special because it has the polyphenol reseveratrol, which is an antioxidant which may be protective against heart disease.
• Studies have shown moderate drinkers have lower risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes
• Lower risk of stroke, colon cancer, and alcohol can actually help with brain function!

Now that you've seen the evidence, you can safely eat your shrimp and drink your wine without any doubt that they're healthy!  Hope you enjoy :)

Welcome!

Welcome to Dani's Dish!

My name is Danielle  and I am a Registered Dietitian living in NYC.  I created this blog so I can share my love for nutrition and food with you.  I want to inform others of important nutrition issues, provide recipes and healthy living tips, as well as restaurant reviews to help you in your journey for healthier living (and of course, sometimes indulgent living!). For me, it's all about finding a balance. I am both a cookie and apple lover. Yes, you heard me. I need my apple-a-day, as well as my cookie-a-day. Life is about balancing the good and the bad, and learning to be happy with the in-between. I am a foodie at heart, but also passionate about making an impact in others lives through the power of food.


I hope you enjoy!!