A few days ago, the Center’s for Disease Control’s Preventing Chronic Disease released a study about the healthiest foods in the world, because everyone wants to eat healthier, right? But then again, as is always associated with healthy food, who doesn’t want to eat tastier? Fortunately, with the help from Jennifer Urda of The Runcible Spoon Personal Chef Service, who seems to have this problem’s solution down to a science, we have some spot-on, mighty delicious recipes that allow you to eat both ways—healthy and good. Her African Curried Coconut Soup with Chickpeas contains an assortment of superfoods like red pepper, tomato, carrot, and squash, and her fresh take on roasted salmon involves a zesty sauce including one of the favorite superfoods, grapefruit. Read below for some delicious and healthy recipes, using some of the 41 healthiest foods in the world.
African Curried Coconut Soup with Chickpeas
Servings: 4
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 15 oz. chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cups tomatoes, canned diced
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 14 1/2 oz. cans coconut milk
- 3/4 cups brown rice, cooked
- 2 Tbsp cilantro
- 1/2 cups carrot, diced
- 1 cup butternut squash, half inch dice
Directions:
In a medium stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, carrot and chili; cook, stirring, until softened—about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. Add the broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, curry powder, salt, butternut squash and black pepper; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about five minutes. Serve warm.
Reheating Instructions:
Thaw overnight. Heat stovetop until simmering and hot.
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Roasted Salmon with Shallot-Grapefruit Sauce
Servings: 4
- 4 Salmon fillet
- Salt and pepper
- 2 grapefruit, fresh, red
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp shallot, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 2 1/2 tsp honey
- Pinch cayenne
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp basil, chiffonade
Directions:
Cut one of the grapefruits into sections by cutting off the top and bottom of the fruit, then standing it on one end and cutting down the skin to remove the woolly white pith and peel. Then, with a paring knife, remove each segment of fruit from its membrane and cut the segments in half.
Set the segments aside. Juice the other grapefruit and set the juice aside.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Season salmon with salt and pepper and place skin side down on baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 18 minutes.
While the salmon is cooking, in a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the ginger, grapefruit juice, honey, and cayenne and bring to simmer. Cook until the sauce is reduced by about half, about 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice and season with salt. Right before serving, toss the grapefruit pieces and basil into the sauce.
Reheating Instructions:
Thaw overnight. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the salmon with the salt, place in a baking dish, and roast until just cooked through, about 18 minutes.
Heat sauce in small saucepan until hot and drizzle over salmon when done.
Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Mustard Sauce
Servings: 4
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- Salt and pepper
- 3/4 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cups apple cider
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard, coarse
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp parsley
- 12 oz Brussels sprouts, halved
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°.
Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add one tablespoon oil. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; add to pan. Cook three minutes or until browned. Turn chicken; place pan in oven. Bake at 450° for nine minutes or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup broth and cider; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer four minutes or until thickened. Whisk in mustard, one tablespoon butter, and parsley.
Heat remaining one tablespoon oil and one tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add Brussels sprouts; sauté two minutes or until lightly browned. Add remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup broth to pan; cover and cook four minutes or until crisp-tender. Serve sprouts with chicken and sauce.
Reheating Instructions:
Thaw overnight. Heat in microwave 3-4 minutes until hot.
