The Everyday DASH Diet Cookbook (24 page)

Lime wedges, for serving

In a medium bowl, mix the salmon, panko, egg whites, ginger, scallion, cilantro, and garlic. Stir in the edamame. Shape the mixture into four 3½-inch-wide cakes. Transfer to a waxed paper–lined plate and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with oil and heat over medium heat. Add the salmon cakes and cook until the undersides are browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the cakes over and cook until the other sides are browned, 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve hot, with the lime wedges.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 267 calories, 21 g protein, 5 g carbohydrates, 13 g fat, 1 g fiber, 47 mg cholesterol, 166 mg sodium, 556 mg potassium. Food groups: 3 ounces meat, ¼ grain, 1 fat.

Sea Scallops and Vegetables with Ginger Sauce

Chinese cooks have a culinary trick called velveting. The meat (or in this case, seafood) is par-cooked before it is stir-fried to give it a smooth, velvety texture. It takes only a minute, so give it a try. Here I use the technique with tender scallops before they are stir-fried with brightly colored vegetables. Serve this with ½ cup cooked Basic Brown Rice (
here
) if you wish.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

1 pound sea scallops, each cut in half horizontally

¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

¼ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed

1 large red bell pepper, cored and cut into 2 × ¼-inch strips

2 scallions, white and green parts, 1 minced and 1 finely chopped

1½ tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the scallops and cook just until they turn opaque around the edges, about 30 seconds. Drain.

In a glass measuring cup, combine the broth, soy sauce, vinegar, and hot pepper. Sprinkle in the cornstarch and stir with a fork until dissolved. Set aside.

Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat. Drizzle in the oil, tilting the wok to coat the entire surface. Add the sugar snap peas and bell pepper and stir-fry until beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Stir in the minced scallion, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the scallops and broth mixture and bring to a boil, stirring often. Cook until the scallops are opaque throughout and the sauce is thickened, about 1 minute.

Divide the scallop mixture evenly among four bowls, sprinkle with the chopped scallion, and serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 169 calories, 17 g protein, 14 g carbohydrates, 4 g fat, 3 g fiber, 27 mg cholesterol, 763 mg sodium, 516 mg potassium. Food groups: 3 ounces meat, 1 vegetable.

Shrimp with Corn Hash

A trip to the farmer’s market in summer inspired this dish, which is ready in minutes. Feel free to use thawed frozen corn kernels instead of fresh. The lemon and basil will season this nicely, so hold off on the salt, as shrimp is naturally high in sodium.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

4 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound large shrimp (21 to 25), peeled and deveined

½ cup chopped red onion

½ medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice

1½ cups fresh corn kernels, cut from 2 large ears of corn

1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes

¼ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper

¼ cup water

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 1 minute. Add the corn, tomatoes, and hot pepper and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until these vegetables are heated through, about 3 minutes.

Add the shrimp and reheat, stirring often, about 1 minute. Stir in the water and lemon juice and cook, scraping up any browned bits in the pan with a wooden spoon. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the basil. Serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 195 calories, 18 g protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat, 3 g fiber, 142 mg cholesterol, 647 mg sodium, 420 mg potassium. Food groups: 3 ounces meat, 1 whole grain, 1 vegetable.

Greek Shrimp with Zucchini and Grape Tomatoes

Greek cooks often combine shrimp, tomatoes, and oregano, and I’ve added zucchini to increase the vegetable content. Most of the sodium in this recipe comes from the shrimp, so keep an eye on your sodium intake for the day if you have this for dinner. I’ve omitted added-salt entirely to let the goat cheese provide the seasoning.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

3 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound large shrimp (21 to 25), peeled and deveined

1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch-thick half-moons

2 tablespoons minced shallot

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons dry vermouth

Grated zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ cup (1 ounce) crumbled goat cheese, for serving

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until it turns opaque, about 3 minutes. The shrimp will be slightly undercooked at this point. Transfer to a plate.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the skillet. Add the zucchini and sauté, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the shallot and garlic and cook until they are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and pepper and cook, stirring often, until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Return the shrimp to the skillet and add the vermouth, lemon zest and juice, and oregano. Cook, stirring often, to reheat the shrimp, about 1 minute.

Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the goat cheese. Serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 184 calories, 22 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat, 3 g fiber, 180 mg cholesterol, 823 mg sodium, 625 mg potassium. Food groups: 3 ounces meat, ½ vegetable.

Crispy Tilapia with Mediterranean Vegetables

Let the oven do most of the work for this healthful entrée of fresh seafood on a bed of vegetables. Use an ovenproof skillet to par-cook the vegetables, and this becomes a one-dish meal.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more in a pump sprayer

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and then into ½-inch-thick slices

1 medium yellow squash, cut in half lengthwise and then into ½-inch-thick slices

4 plum (Roma) tomatoes, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice

Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper

4 (5-ounce) tilapia fillets

3 tablespoons panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs), preferably whole-wheat panko (see
here
)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and yellow squash and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, lemon zest and juice, oregano, and hot pepper. Remove from the heat. Arrange the tilapia fillets on the vegetables. Sprinkle with the panko and spray with oil.

Bake until the tilapia is opaque when flaked in the thickest part with the tip of a knife, about 12 minutes. Serve hot.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

(1 serving) 240 calories, 32 g protein, 16 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat, 4 g fiber, 71 mg cholesterol, 96 mg sodium, 1,018 mg potassium. Food groups: 4½ ounces meat, ½ grain, 2 vegetables.

Panko

Panko, extra-crisp Japanese bread crumbs, used to be an exotic Japanese ingredient, but now it has gone mainstream and you can even buy it in various flavors. It adds crunchy texture to many dishes and is a nice topping for fish fillets. Use whole-wheat panko if you can find it, because it has a slightly better nutritional profile and less sodium than plain panko. Ian’s Panko is a good brand that is sold at many natural food markets.

You can make your own coarse bread crumbs as a substitute. Lightly toast a slice of whole-wheat bread and let it cool. Tear the bread into a few pieces and process in a blender or food processor until you have coarse crumbs. When the bread crumbs are spread on food as a topping, spray the crumbs lightly with olive or canola oil from a pump-style sprayer.

Tuna with Fennel and Potatoes

Fennel (sometimes called anise) should be as popular with cooks in America as it is in Italy. Admittedly, it has a licorice flavor when raw, but the taste is milder when it is cooked. If the fronds (or leaves) have already been removed from the fennel when you buy it, you can substitute chopped fresh oregano, basil or tarragon, or parsley. A touch of Parmesan cheese brings out the flavors of the vegetables in this recipe.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Vegetables

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more in a pump sprayer

1 head fennel (about 1 pound)

3 medium potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled, cut in halves and then crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices

1 large red bell pepper, cored and cut into ¼-inch-wide strips

4 cloves garlic, chopped

Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Tuna

Olive oil in a pump sprayer

4 (6-ounce) tuna steaks, about 1 inch thick

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

To prepare the vegetables: Spray a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with oil. Cut the fronds (leaves) off the fennel. Chop 2 tablespoons of fennel fronds and reserve. Cut the fennel head in half lengthwise, and cut out the thick triangular core at the bottom of the head. Cut the head and stalks crosswise into ¼- to ½-inch-wide strips.

Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften around the edges, about 5 minutes. Stir in the fennel, bell pepper, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and hot pepper. Spread in the baking dish. Bake, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, sprinkle with the Parmesan. Remove from the oven and let stand while preparing the tuna.