BravaBody - Make This the Prime of Your Life

Serves 4
Serve with steamed broccoli

Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 7 minutes

1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon honey
4 4-ounce salmon filets

1. Preheat broiler.    

2. Combine paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Stir in honey to form a smooth syrup.  

3. Using your fingers, spread syrup gently over the salmon. Place on a foil-covered oven-safe pan that you’ve sprayed with cooking spray. Broil for 5-7 minutes, depending on thickness, just until fish flakes easily off the fork.   

The Seasoned Chef notes that garlic powder is used in the rub because fresh garlic will likely burn in the cooking process. Salmon is also wonderful cooked outside on the grill. Cumin is the second most popular spice in the world, next to black pepper. Cumin has a distinctive, slightly bitter yet warm flavor.

Nutrition Goldmine: Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, cold water fish such as salmon prevent clotting in blood vessels and may help raise HDL cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids also help keep the heart beating in a healthy rhythm. The new guidelines recommend two-three meals of fatty fish each week.

Per serving: 213 calories, 24 gm protein, 6 gm carbohydrate, 10 gm fat, 2 gm sat fat, 5 gm mono fat, 70 mg cholesterol, 1 gm fiber, 61 mg sodium

Serves 4

The Yogurt Parfait packs great nutritional power with three food groups represented first thing in the morning. To get the best yogurt, read the label. Make sure that the sugar content is low and the active yogurt cultures are listed in the first few ingredients.

3 cups nonfat plain yogurt
12 ounces unsweetened fruit such as fresh or frozen berries and melon
8 tablespoons low-fat granola

1. Put about half of the yogurt in four separate bowls or clear tall glasses.
2. Put half of the fruit on top of the yogurt followed by half of the granola.
3. Repeat the process and serve.

Per serving: 151 calories, 11 gm protein, 27 gm carbohydrate, 1 gm fat, 0 gm sat fat, 0 gm mono fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 2 gm fiber, 150 mg sodium

Serve with green salad & crusty bread
Serves 4

Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 35 minutes

3/4 lb chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 sweet peppers, yellow or red, seeds removed and sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 14-16 ounce can diced tomatoes
2/3 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon each oregano, basil
1 cup canned cannellini beans , rinsed and drained

1. Over medium heat, sauté the chicken in olive oil in a nonstick pan until golden brown. Remove from pan.
2. In olive oil spray, sauté onion, peppers, garlic until translucent, 3-5 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes with juice and stir.
4. Place the chicken over mixture and pour in wine or stock, and sprinkle with herbs.
5. Cover the pan and lower the heat, simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. To test when chicken is done, poke a knife in meat and
juices should run clear.
6. Mash half of the beans, then add to pot and stir into liquid. Add the rest of beans and simmer for 5 minutes more. Serve in bowls with
green salad and crusty bread.

The Seasoned Chef serves this dish for more active people over two ounces of noodles. To save time, prepare the night before to step 5.

Nutrition Goldmine: Sweet peppers are among the most nutrient-dense vegetables you can buy. They contain large amounts of both Vitamin C and beta-carotene, two powerful antioxidants.

332 calories, 36 gm protein, 29 gm carbohydrate, 8gm fat, 2 gm sat, 1 gm mono,78 mg cholesterol, 6 gm fiber, 559 mg sodium

Serve with crusty bread
Serves 10

Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 35 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 28- ounce can tomatoes, peeled Italian style
1 zucchini, chopped
1 potato ( ½ lb) peeled and chopped
1 14-ounce can red kidney beans
6 cups fat free broth, chicken or vegetable, low-sodium
1 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano
2 ounces pasta, (such as broken spaghetti)

Optional Garnish: Parmesan cheese

1.     Sauté onion, garlic, celery and carrots in olive oil, until onions are translucent, 3-5 minutes,

2.     Add the remaining ingredients except pasta. Stir. Bring to boil & simmer for 20 minutes.

3.     Add pasta (broken spaghetti is an excellent choice). Cook for 8-10 minutes longer, until pasta is al dente, not mushy. Stir frequently to keep pasta from sticking together.

4.     Serve in bowls & garnish with Parmesan cheese.

The Seasoned Chef knows that a variety of seasonal vegetables can be substituted or added such as green beans, summer squash, and mushrooms. Navy beans instead of kidney beans would give the soup a whole new look.

Nutrition Goldmine: Kidney beans are rich in folic acid, iron, fiber, and protein.

Per serving: 149 calories, 8gm protein, 25 gm carbohydrate, 3 gm fat, 1 gm sat fat, 2 gm mono, 1 mg cholesterol, 5 gm fiber, 370 mg sodium