New Year – New Healthy Cooking
By: Nadine Hughes – Owner of The Cook’s Companion

It’s the New Year again and it seems like we just popped the last bubbly and threw confetti into the air.  If your 2007 health resolutions went the way of your confetti then perhaps it’s time to set more realistic guidelines for a healthier eating plan.  Just like any new skill, eating healthier takes planning and practice. 

Making one or two simple changes to your diet successfully will give you the confidence and boost you need to keep adding healthier changes.  To help get you started in 2008 here are a few easy to include tips that you can start introducing into your daily eating routines.

1.      Plan your menus for the week (this will take some practice and time in the early weeks) and shop only once per week.  This will help keep you away from the impulse packaged foods aisle and give you all the ingredients you need at your fingertips to create quick and healthy weekday meals.

2.      Reduce the salt but bump up the flavour in your cooking by cutting back on the salt and increase the amount and types of spices, herbs and flavourings.  By including fresh or dried herbs and flavours like garlic, chilli and ginger into your meals you won’t feel the need to add as much sodium in your recipes.  Take the salt shaker off your table too!

3.      When baking substitute half the suggested white flour with whole wheat flour.  You may need to add one or two more tablespoons of liquid as the mixture will be slightly drier with whole wheat flour but you’ll increase your protein and retain essential natural nutrients that you don’t get in white flour.

4.      Add canned beans to your stews, soups, casseroles and salads.  Packed full of fiber and protein, drained, canned beans such as chick peas, kidney beans and black beans are easy to use and keep on hand.

5.      Help cut the fat in your diet by switching your family to low fat or skim milk products.  These contain the same amount of protein, B vitamins and calcium but with less fat.  If you cook or bake with cheese, choose a strong tasting cheese like mature cheddar or blue cheese and you won’t have to use as much.

Here’s a recipe that you can include in your weekly meal plans.  Ginger Chicken with Rice Noodles is high in protein, low in fat, contains ingredients that keep well in your pantry and refrigerator and can be prepared in advance.  Simply reheat the baked chicken and poaching liquid when ready to serve and place over hot rice noodles or rice of your choice.  Feel free to decrease or increase the chillies to suit your family’s tastes.  My kids like the “funny see through” noodles and have increased their tolerance to chillies the more they have been exposed to them!  Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Ginger Chicken with Rice Noodles

Serves 4

Preparation Time:        20 minutes
Cooking time:              50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless

• 250ml (1 cup) low sodium chicken broth

• 60g (1 inch piece) ginger, peeled and very thinly sliced into matchstick size pieces

• 4 green onions, sliced thinly

• 1 green chilli, deseeded and sliced thinly

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• ½ teaspoon sugar

• 225g rice noodles

For the Sauce:

• 1 teaspoon fish sauce

• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

• 1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced

• 60g (½ cup) sugar peas, sliced thinly

• Coriander leaves for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Place chicken breasts and broth in a large shallow saucepan.  Add enough cold water to just cover the chicken.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove chicken and place on plate to cool, keeping liquid in pan.

3. Continue to simmer the poaching liquid until the stock is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.  Add the remaining sauce ingredients and keep warm.

4. Meanwhile cut each chicken breast into 4 slices.  Arrange side by side on a large piece of foil.  Divide the ginger, onions and green chillies among the chicken slices.

5. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, lemon juice and sugar; stirring to dissolve the sugar.  Pour over chicken slices.  Fold foil over and around the chicken to make a parcel.  Bake in oven for 15 minutes.

6. While chicken is baking, pour boiling water over noodles until covered in a heatproof bowl and soak for 15 minutes.

7. To serve, divide the noodles amongst 4 large, deep soup plates.  Unwrap the chicken and arrange the pieces and accumulated juices equally over the noodles.  Spoon the poaching liquid over the chicken and garnish with coriander if desired.

Nadine Hughes is a mother of two and a Home Entertainer with a vibrant personality and memorable cooking style.  As the owner of The Cook’s Companion, Nadine offers lifestyle cooking and entertaining classes for adults, teens and private at home classes.  She is also a food writer and a television presenter.  Contact Nadine at 905-849-9007 or check out the latest class schedule at http://www.thecookscompanion.ca/ to book your class today.