Lizs Healthy Table

Eat, Drink, Live Longer

Eat, Drink, Live Longer

Categories

Chicken and Pinto Bean Tacos

BY Liz Leave a Comment

These Chicken and Pinto Bean Tacos are more plant than poultry. They’re made with just half a pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast as well as a can of pinto beans, bell pepper, onion, salsa, corn tortillas, and lots of fresh and flavorful toppings.

Chicken and Pinto Bean Tacos

For people trying to eat a more plant-forward diet but who aren’t ready to go completely meatless, this recipe provides the perfect balance. There’s versatility in this recipe too. Don’t have pinto beans on hand? Use black beans instead. Any color bell pepper would work wonders in this recipe, and you could certainly amp up the veggies even more by mixing in half a cup of corn kernels (frozen/thawed is fine), a shredded carrot, or some chopped cabbage.

For people who want to eat more of a #plantbased diet but don’t want to give up chicken and other favorite protein foods, this #recipe for Chicken and Pinto Bean Tacos combines a smaller portion of poultry w/ lots of plants for an easy,…

Click To Tweet

Chicken and Pinto Bean Tacos
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Save Print
Poultry combined with lots of plants -- bell pepper, onion, beans -- is an easy, toss-together dinner filled with protein, fiber, and health-boosting antioxidants.
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 small onion, cut in half, trimmed, and cut into thin half-moons
  • 1 bell pepper, cut into thin strips
  • One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • ⅓ cups salsa
  • ⅓ cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
  • 12 soft 6-inch corn tortillas or crunchy taco shells
  • Optional toppings: Chopped lettuce or kale; salsa; diced avocado; shredded, reduced-fat cheese; roughly chopped cilantro; plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
  1. Place the chicken in a mixing bowl. Add the cumin, chili powder, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, and salt and stir until the chicken is well coated. Set aside.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil and the chicken and cook, stirring often, until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes.
  4. Stir in the beans, salsa and cheese and stir until the cheese melts, about 1 minute.
  5. If using soft tortillas, warm first and then top each with ⅓ cup of the chicken mixture. Set out optional toppings and let everyone build their own tacos.

 

 

 

Barley & Chickpea Stew: Simple, Affordable, Nourishing, and Delicious

BY Liz 5 Comments

I live in New England, so when summer turns to fall (which often is abrupt and a shock to the system), I turn my attention from salads—which sustain my family all summer long—to soups and stews. One of our favorite go-to recipes is this hearty Barley & Chickpea Stew, simple, affordable, nourishing, and delicious.

Barley and Chickpea Stew via lizshealthytable.com #vegetarian #plantbased

Soups and stews are different. Stews are dense and only slightly covered by liquid (broth or tomato sauce), while the ingredients in a soup float in the liquid.

Despite their differences, soups and stews provide the perfect canvas for getting more fiber-filled vegetables, grains, beans, and even fruit into bowls, onto tables, and into bellies. A few of my favorite go-to recipes include hearty beef and bean chili topped with diced avocado (technically a fruit) and fragrant, fresh cilantro; creamy broccoli soup made with pureed white beans for thickness (no cream required); chicken noodle soup filled with tender bits of carrot and celery; and butternut squash soup made with an apple or pear for extra sweetness and nutrition.

Barley and Chickpea Stew via lizshealthytable.com #vegetarian #plantbased

The first time I made this plant-forward brew, a nor’easter had just dumped about a foot of snow in the Boston suburbs. While my husband and sons were outside shoveling and snow blowing, I was cozied up inside with my slow cooker, a can of chickpeas, a pile of mushrooms, and a bag of pearled barley. My boys were happy when they finally came in from the cold. I’ve made variations of this stew many times since that epic storm, but for this version, I swapped the slow cooker (not accessible to every home cook) for a large pot.

Barley & Chickpea Stew
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 6
  • Serving size: 1.5 cups
  • Calories: 175
  • Fat: 6g
  • Saturated fat: 1g
  • Carbohydrates: 24g
  • Sodium: 550mg
  • Fiber: 7.5g
  • Protein: 8g
Recipe type: Dinner
Save Print
This stew is made simply with fresh vegetables, convenient canned chickpeas and diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, fresh thyme, and pearled barley. Pearled (also called pearl) barley cooks more quickly than whole grain barley, and most of the barley found in supermarkets is, in fact, the pearled variety. Pearled barley is polished to remove some or all of the outer bran layer and the hull. While technically it’s a refined grain, some of the bran still may be intact. To turn this from a stew to a soup, add 2 more cups of broth.
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, roughly chopped
  • 8 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped
  • 3 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice (about 2 cups)
  • 3 celery stalks, trimmed and cut into ½-inch dice (1 generous cup)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • One 14.5-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
  • One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup pearled barley
  • 6 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
  2. Add vegetable broth, tomatoes, chickpeas, barley, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir until well combined. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables and barley are tender, about 35 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes. (Cooking times may vary depending on type of barley used.)
  3. Remove thyme stems and bay leaf, serve in individual bowls, and top with Parmesan cheese as desired.

Let me know if you give this recipe a try. It’s a cold-weather crowd pleaser.

Barley and Chickpea Stew via lizshealthytable.com #vegetarian #plantbased

Tuna, Apple, and Carrot Salad + 5 Easy Fruit and Vegetable Hacks

BY Liz 3 Comments

This recipe for Tuna, Apple, and Carrot Salad is not your grandmother’s tuna salad. This updated version of old-fashioned tuna salad calls for a convenient can of tuna (you could also boneless, skinless pink salmon, which is rich in omega-3 fats), shredded carrot, chopped apple, green onion, lite mayo, lemon zest and Dijon mustard. Scoop into halved avocados or add to a sandwich with lettuce, juicy slices of tomato, and smashed avocado.

Tuna, Carrot, and Apple Salad + 5 Easy Fruit and Vegetable Hacks via lizshealthytable.com

Getting more fruits and vegetables onto your table requires planning and easy hacks to make produce the star ingredient in your weekly meal and snack prep. What follows are a few ideas to nudge you one step closer to meeting your daily fruit and veggie requirement of 2 to 3 cups of vegetables and 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit each day for women over age 60.

Produce Hacks:

  • Place a damp paper towel under your cutting board to keep it from moving around as you slice and dice your fruits and veggies. Plus, a stable cutting board keeps fingers safe from knives.
  • Rely on all forms of fruits and veggies including frozen, canned, juiced, dried, and fresh.
  • Squeeze lemon juice over apples to prevent them from browning.
  • Buy pre-shredded carrots vs. shredding yourself and add to salads, soups, and meatballs.  
  • Don’t have time to chop an onion. Use green onions (scallions) instead. 

Tuna, Carrot, and Apple Salad + 5 Easy Fruit and Vegetable Hacks via lizshealthytable.com

Tuna, Apple, and Carrot Salad + 5 Easy Fruit and Vegetable Hacks to make eating more produce more doable #NFVM2022 #familymealsmonth #haveaplant #seafood2xwk

Click To Tweet

Tuna, Apple, and Carrot Salad + 5 Easy Fruit and Vegetable Hacks
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Save Print
This recipe serves two, but it can easily be doubled if you have more mouths to feed! To ease your mealtime to-do list, enlist family members to help. Get kids involved. They can chop the apple, shred the carrot or chop the celery, and rip herbs.
Ingredients
  • One 5 ounce can tuna or boneless, skinless pink salmon, drained and flaked with a fork
  • 1 small carrot, peeled and shredded on the large holes of a box grater (about ½ cup), or 1 stalk celery, peeled and trimmed, sliced in half lengthwise, and thinly sliced, (about ⅓ cup)
  • ¼ medium apple, cut into ¼-inch dice (about ⅓ cup)
  • 1 green onion, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon, dill, or parsley, optional
  • Zest ¼ lemon, plus more to taste
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 avocado, halved
Instructions
  1. Place the tuna, carrot, apple, onion, tarragon as desired, and lemon zest in a bowl and stir to combine. Mix in the mayonnaise, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Scoop into halved avocado and serve.

As a dietitian, what I love most about this recipe is its easy, flavor, and great nutrition. Each serving provides high-quality protein, omega-3 fats for heart, eye, and brain health, and fiber, for healthy digestion.

Tuna, Carrot, and Apple Salad + 5 Easy Fruit and Vegetable Hacks via lizshealthytable.com

 

 

 

 

 

Egg & Kale Dinner Muffins

BY Liz Leave a Comment

September is Family Meals Month, so let’s celebrate with a recipe you can quickly assemble with and for your kids or grandkids. There are two magic ingredients in this recipe: Eggs and kale. Both contain lutein, a carotenoid antioxidant that can help to reduce the risk of developing Age-related Macular Degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in people over 40.

Egg and Kale Dinner Muffins via lizshealthytable.com

Family meals month is in September, so let’s celebrate now and all year long with these easy Egg & Kale Dinner Muffins made with kale … or spinach (fresh, frozen or canned). #FamilyMealsMonth #NFVM2022

Click To Tweet

Egg & Veggie Dinner Muffins
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Save Print
Eggs aren’t just for breakfast. By pairing with vegetables like frozen, canned, or fresh kale or spinach, mixing in some seasonings and shredded cheese, and baking in muffin cups, you’ve suddenly got a hearty dinner that’s ready in minutes. Serve these egg muffins with fresh fruit and a green salad.
Ingredients
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1¼ cups frozen chopped kale or spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 2 green onions, trimmed, sliced into rounds, and chopped
  • ½ cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat a 6-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Whisk until well combined. Stir in the kale, green onion, Cheddar cheese, and oregano until well combined.
  3. Use a ⅓ measuring cup to divide the mixture evenly into the prepared muffin cups. Top evenly with the Parmesan cheese.
  4. Bake until the eggs are set, about 18 minutes. Cool slightly, remove, and serve.

 

 

Beef & Bean Tacos with Lots of Vegetable Toppings

BY Liz Leave a Comment

This recipe for Beef & Bean Tacos is a riff on the Have-It-Your Way Tacos recipe from my first cookbook, The Moms’ Guide to Meal Makeovers. It’s an oldie but goodie and one of those dinner recipes that gets a two-thumbs up from everyone at the table.

Beef & Bean Tacos with Lots of Vegetable Toppings via lizshealthytable.com

This easy dinner dish is plant-forward (AKA plant-based). Yes, it’s made with lean ground beef, but it also includes lots of plants—black beans, carrot, salsa, and an array of colorful and crunchy vegetable toppings. And of course, the corn tortillas are also made from plants.

Beef & Bean Tacos with Lots of Vegetable Toppings via lizshealthytable.com

If you love beef and other animal-based protein foods, enjoy them as part of a diet rich in lots of plants. In other words, include beef as part of a plant-based diet, which I define as the following: An eating pattern that focuses on foods primarily from plants, including fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils, whole grains, legumes, and beans. Plant-based doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be a vegetarian or vegan or never eat meat or dairy. Rather, you are choosing more of your foods from plant sources.

Beef & Bean Tacos with Lots of Vegetable Toppings via lizshealthytable.com

Although there are more than 38 cuts of beef that meet the USDA guidelines for lean, I tend to use lean ground beef (93% lean) the most. Other popular cuts of lean meat include Top Sirloin, Tenderloin, Strip Steak, and Flank Steak.

This plant-filled, fiber rich Beef and Bean Taco recipe is made with lean ground beef, black beans, carrot, salsa, and lots of colorful and crunchy vegetable toppings #TacoTuesday

Click To Tweet

The recipe is flexible. You could use any favorite bean, spice things up with a more fiery salsa, pick and choose your favorite toppings, and use a crunchy taco shell or soft corn tortilla. Or … you could serve the filling over rice or a crispy green salad.

Beef & Bean Tacos
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 6
  • Serving size: 2 tacos
  • Calories: 325
  • Fat: 11.5g
  • Saturated fat: 4g
  • Carbohydrates: 30g
  • Sodium: 355mg
  • Fiber: 7g
  • Protein: 25g
Recipe type: Dinner
Save Print
One 3 ounce serving of lean beef has 10 essential nutrients in just about 170 calories, including zinc and selenium (important for immune health), protein, iron, and vitamins B6 and B12, riboflavin, choline, and phosphorous. 93% lean ground beef is lower in calories, fat, saturated fat and sodium and higher in high-quality protein than meat substitutes. Oh, and this recipe has 7 grams of fiber, which makes me (and my microbiome) very happy!
Ingredients
  • 1 pound 93% lean ground beef
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder or chili powder
  • 12 taco shells or soft corn tortillas
  • One 15½-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded on the large holes of a box grater (about ½ cup)
  • ⅔ cup salsa
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional (or more, if you love it)
  • ½ cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
  • Topping options: Cilantro, fresh mint, shredded cheese, diced tomato, shredded cabbage, diced or sliced avocado, sliced green onion, plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat, cumin, and chili powder, and cook, stirring frequently and breaking up the large pieces, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. (If there is excess fat in the pan, drain it.)
  3. While the meat cooks, bake the taco shells according to package directions. When done, remove from the oven and set aside.
  4. When the meat is done, add the beans, carrot, salsa, cilantro, as desired, and cheese and stir to combine. Cook until the cheese melts and the mixture is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.
  5. Stuff into taco shells or arrange over soft (heated) corn tortillas. Set out your favorite toppings, so everyone at your table can customize their tacos.
Notes
The recipe yields 4 cups of taco filling, so use ⅓ cup filling per taco.

Let me know if try this recipe or if yo’ve been making the Meal Makeover Mom version!

Zucchini & Black Bean Chilaquiles Skillet

BY Liz Leave a Comment

This recipe for Zucchini & Black Bean Chilaquiles Skillet comes straight from the pages of From Burnout to Balance: 60+ Healing Recipes and Simple Strategies to Boost Mood, Immunity, Focus, and Sleep by Patricia Bannan, MS, RDN. It’s an easy and nourishing one-dish meal that’s made with zucchini, black beans, tomatoes, eggs, and whole grain corn tortilla chips. The nutrients in this dish help to fuel a healthy immune system and support your goals of living a longer, more vibrant life.

This recipe provides an excellent source of fiber, iron, selenium and vitamins A, C, and K. Adding avocado helps to supercharge the good nutrition in the dish with healthy monounsaturated fats and nutrients like fiber, potassium, vitamins C, K and folate.

Patricia was on the EAT, DRINK, LIVE LONGER podcast this week. Tune in below:

 

Recipes that are easy to make and provide lots of nutrients per delicious bite can help to turn burnout into balance. This no-muss, no-fuss plant-forward recipe is designed to do just that.

Get this plant-based recipe for Zucchini &. Black Bean Chilaquiles Skillet from @nutritiongogo, author: From Burnout to Balance. Easy, delicious, flavorful w/ black beans, lots of veggies + #eggs

Click To Tweet

Since I am only cooking for two these days, I cut the recipe in half. The leftover canned beans were stored in a resealable container and frozen for later use.

Zucchini &. Black Bean Chilaquiles Skillet
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 4
  • Calories: 400
  • Fat: 20g
  • Saturated fat: 5g
  • Carbohydrates: 43g
  • Sugar: 5g (0g added sugar)
  • Sodium: 770mg
  • Fiber: 8g
  • Protein: 18g
  • Cholesterol: 200mg
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Save Print
According to Patricia: Here's a scrumptious yet streamlined twist on chilaquiles, a traditional Mexican dish. Everything is made in one skillet for ease. Avocado is optional, but always delicious. And if that's not enough to appreciate, the chilaquiles are packed with iron, which carries oxygen throughout your body to keep you feeling at your tip-top best. Recipe, courtesy: From Burnout to Balance: 60+ Healing Recipes and Simple Strategies to Boost Mood, Immunity, Focus, and Sleep
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil or sunflower oil, divided
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced, green and white parts separated
  • 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
  • 1 large (10-ounce) zucchini, cut into ½-inch half-moons
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste, divided
  • 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium black beans, drained
  • 2 ounces organic corn tortilla chips (about 24 chips, but number varies)
  • ⅓ cup green enchilada sauce
  • 2 ounces shredded Mexican cheese mixture or crumbled Cotija cheese (about ½ cup)
  • ¾ cup heirloom gape or cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems
  • 2 medium limes, sliced into wedges
  • Supercharger: 1 avocado, sliced (optional)
Instructions
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large (12-inch or larger) cast-iron or other stick-resistant skillet over high heat. Once the oil shimmers, carefully crack in the eggs and fry as desired, about 2 minutes, using the tip of the spatula to separate eggs, if needed. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  2. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the white parts of the scallions, the corn, the zucchini, and ⅛ of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are caramelized, about 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and fold in the black beans, the green parts of the scallions, the tortilla chips, and the enchilada sauce, trying not to break the chips, until the beans are heated through and chips are slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Taste to adjust for seasoning,
  3. Scoop onto plates with a spatula or large spoon, and nestle in the fried eggs. Top with the cheese, tomatoes, and avocado (if using). Sprinkle with the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and the cilantro and squirt with the lemon wedges to serve.

 

Spicy Chickpea Tacos with Arugula

BY Liz Leave a Comment

Easy, delicious and nutritious is the magic formula to a winning dinner, and that’s what this recipe for Spicy Chickpea Tacos with Arugula delivers. Every meatless serving has an impressive 13 grams of fiber (the recommended daily amount is 28 to 39 grams depending on your age, gender, and activity level), and they provide a tasty canvas for all sorts of toppings—avocado, plain Greek yogurt, shredded red cabbage, reduced-fat shredded cheese.

Spicy Chickpea Tacos with Arugula via LizsHealthyTable.com

This recipe comes straight from the pages of the new book:  The Everything Easy Pre-Diabetes Cookbook, written by my colleague, Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN and designed to help people manage and reverse this condition. (Pre-diabetes impacts one out of every three Americans, so this is an important book with a potentially huge impact on improving lives.) I flipped through the 200 recipes in the book and chose this one for spicy chickpea tacos to share with all of you! (To learn more about the benefits of beans, including chickpeas, check out CannedBeans.org. It’s a terrific resource.)

Listen to my podcast interview with Lauren about pre-diabetes:

Click the PLAY button above to listen to the show.
Love the LHT podcast?
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and post a review
Subscribe on Stitcher and post a review

Spicy Chickpea Tacos with Arugula via LizsHealthyTable.com

Get this #glutenfree #plantbased recipe for Spicy Tacos with Arugula. It’s from The Everything Easy Pre-Diabetes Cookbook, by @LaurenPincusRD and it’s designed to help people manage and reverse pre-diabetes.

Click To Tweet

Spicy Chickpea Tacos with Arugula via LizsHealthyTable.com

Spicy Chickpea Tacos with Arugula
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 6
  • Serving size: 2 tacos
  • Calories: 250
  • Fat: 9g
  • Saturated fat: 1.5g
  • Carbohydrates: 40g
  • Sugar: 7g
  • Sodium: 600mg
  • Fiber: 13g
  • Protein: 9g
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Save Print
As Lauren shares in her book: These may be the tastiest tacos ever. With this recipe, expect a thick and spicy sauce dotted with meaty garbanzos, the peppery cool of arugula, and the crunchy bite of corn taco shells. Spoon extra filling over brown rice if you run short of taco shells. When I made this recipe, I topped my tacos with plain Greek yogurt. Other topping options that I'd enjoy include avocado, reduced-fat shredded cheese, and shredded red cabbage. Recipe courtesy: The Everything Easy Pre-Diabetes Cookbook
Ingredients
  • Two 15-ounce cans low-sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar or brown sugar-style erythritol
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 12 hard taco shells
  • 3 cups baby arugula
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley)
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan, add all ingredients except taco shells, arugula, and cilantro and stir well to combine,
  2. Place the pan over medium heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
  3. Fill taco shells with arugula and spoon bean mixture over top. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

To hear Lauren on my podcast, head over to my EAT, DRINK, LIVE LONGER podcast page.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Chickpea Hummus, Herbed Sorghum, and Cumin-Honey Carrots

BY Liz Leave a Comment

Family dinner is about to get a whole lot more exciting and nourishing with a recipe for Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Chickpea Hummus, Herbed Sorghum, and Cumin-Honey Carrots. This easy-does-it dinner provides a powerful pairing of veggies, whole grains, and lean protein … and it’s displayed on one beautiful serving platter.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Chickpea Hummus, Herbed Sorghum, and Cumin-Honey Carrots via lizshealthytable.com

Serving dinner on  a big platter is pretty to look at, but it’s also more fun for family members to eat, because they can serve themselves versus having the meal pre-plated for them. (For finicky eaters, I recommend de-constructing the recipe and serving everything on its own).

This roasted pork tenderloin recipe has it all: It’s got lean protein from the spice-rubbed pork tenderloin; protein and fiber from the chickpea hummus (I used store bought, but you can certainly make from scratch); fiber and protein from the gluten-free sorghum; and vitamin A from the carrots. And it tastes sooooo yummy.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Chickpea Hummus, Herbed Sorghum, and Cumin-Honey Carrots via lizshealthytable.com

This recipe is flexible; there are lots of ways to modify it: You could choose from a variety of flavored hummus to change up the flavor (I’m partial to lemon dill), add chickpeas to the sorghum salad to amp up the protein and fiber, season the carrots with fresh or dried thyme instead of cumin seeds, add a handful of fresh cilantro to the salad, or use lime zest and juice vs. lemon.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Chickpea Hummus, Herbed Sorghum, and Cumin-Honey Carrots via lizshealthytable.com

I used pearled sorghum because it cooks faster than the whole grain … but it’s not as high in fiber. It’s a trade off. When cooked, pearled has a risotto-like texture while the whole grain is more “toothsome” (AKA a bit chewy).

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Chickpea Hummus, Herbed Sorghum, and Cumin-Honey Carrots via lizshealthytable.com

For your next family dinner, try this Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Chickpea Hummus, Herbed Sorghum, and Cumin-Honey Carrots. It’s a powerful pairing of veggies, grains, and lean protein #familymealsmovement

Click To Tweet

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Chickpea Hummus, Herbed Sorghum, and Cumin-Honey Carrots

Here I am in my Boston kitchen after teaching attendees of the Culinary Nutrition Conference how to prepare this dish.

For more information on Powerful Pairings, here are some helpful resources:
Sorghum Checkoff
Pork Checkoff
USA Pulses

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Chickpea Hummus, Herbed Sorghum, and Cumin-Honey Carrots
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Save Print
I created this recipe for the 4th annual Culinary Nutrition Conference. (I cooked it during a culinary demo for the 200 registered dietitians in attendance.) My session was sponsored by Powerful Pairings, which includes pork, pulses, and sorghum. They can easily be combined in snacks and meals to make them more nutritious and satisfying.
Ingredients
For Sorghum/Hummus Salad:
  • ½ cup uncooked pearled sorghum (1⅓ cups cooked)
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 2 small green onions or 1 large, white and green parts thinly sliced
  • 1 loosely packed cup flat leaf parsley (leaves and stems), roughly chopped
  • ½ loosely packed cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
  • Zest from 1 lemon
  • Juice from half a lemon (about 2 Tbsp)
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • One 8-ounce container store bought chickpea hummus
For Pork:
  • 1 pound pork tenderloin
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
For Carrots:
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces (thick pieces cut in half or quarters length-wise)
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • A few pinches black pepper
Instructions
To cook sorghum:
  1. Bring 4 cups water and salt to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Add sorghum to saucepan, return water to a low boil, and cook, uncovered, until sorghum is soft, 40-45 minutes. Stir occasionally. If there is any water remaining after cooking, drain the sorghum. Transfer to a medium-size mixing bowl when finished cooking.
  2. Place green onion, parsley, mint, half the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste in with sorghum and stir to combine. Season to taste with additional lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Set aside or refrigerate.
  3. While pork cooks, spread hummus onto a large platter and smooth out with the back of a large spoon or rubber spatula. Spoon sorghum salad evenly over hummus.
To roast carrots and pork:
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
  2. Place a large piece of aluminum foil on a cutting board and set pork on top. Trim away visible fat. In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, garlic power, and black pepper. Stir in olive oil. Use a spoon to spread and rub spice/olive oil mixture all over pork. Set aside.
  3. Place carrots, olive oil, honey, cumin seeds, salt and pepper in a medium-size mixing bowl and stir until carrots are well coated with oil and seasonings. Arrange on prepared baking sheet in single layer and roast 12 minutes. Remove from oven, turn carrots, and move aside to make room for pork. Place pork on baking sheet and return to oven. (Discard aluminum foil and place a fresh piece on cutting board.)
  4. Roast for 20 to 25 more minutes, until carrots are tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 145°. Transfer cooked tenderloin to foil-topped cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer any juices to a shallow bowl; set foil aside. Slice tenderloin into ½-inch-thick slices and transfer (along with additional juices) to the bowl. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
  5. To serve, arrange cooked carrots and pork slices over sorghum and hummus salad. Garnish with additional parsley and mint as desired. (Transfer juices to a small bowl and serve with a small spoon on the side.)

Let me know if you make the recipe. I’d love to hear what you think of it.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Chickpea Hummus, Herbed Sorghum, and Cumin-Honey Carrots via lizshealthytable.com

Liz’s Healthy Table Podcast Episode #99: The Blue Zones with Nick Buettner

BY Liz 2 Comments

On today’s podcast, join me for an exploration of the Blue Zones, five rare longevity hotspots around the world where people are thriving into their 100s. Tune in to hear about these long-lived communities where the Fountain of Youth is flowing … and discover the nine secrets to living longer, better lives. From eating a mostly plant-based diet to moving your body naturally every day, you too can live a Blue Zones life no matter where you live on the planet. Find out how!

Love the LHT podcast?
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and post a review
Subscribe on Stitcher and post a review

The Blue Zones with Nick Buettner via lizshealthytable.com

Nick Buettner is an explorer, National Geographic Fellow, award-winning journalist and producer, and NYT bestselling author. He has spent the past 20 years leading expeditions across six continents around the world, with three of these trips being to the world’s “Blue Zones.” These are places with longer-than-normal life expectancy and where more people reach age 100 than anywhere else in the world. Nick worked with his brother, Dan, National Geographic, and a team of longevity researchers to identify and explore these pockets of the world where people are living longer lives. In his current role as the VP of Product for The Blue Zones Project, Nick is responsible for taking the Blue Zone longevity lessons to communities across the US. The Project supports well-being initiatives that apply lessons from the Blue Zones to entire communities by focusing on changes to the local environment, public policy, and social networks. The Blue Zone Project uses evidence-informed, sustainable transformations with people, places, and policies to make the healthy making the healthy choice the easy choice. To date, the Blue Zone Project has empowered over 5 million people to live longer, better lives. 

“The #1 determinant of longevity in the US is which zip code you’re born into. There can be a difference in life expectancy of up to 18 years from one to another.”

Nick Buettner

The Blue Zones via lizshealthytable.com

I adore The Blue Zones Kitchen cookbook. Interestingly, one of the common food denominators in all five Blue Zones is beans. From Okinawa, Japan to Icaria, Greece, Sardinia, Italy, the Nicoya Peninsula inCosta Rica, and Loma Linda, California, beans make their way onto the family table almost every day. (For recipes and resources on canned beans, check out CannedBeans.org)

This is Nick’s favorite recipe from The Blue Zones Kitchen!

Tune in to Liz’s Healthy Table #podcast for my interview w/ Nick Buettner from the @BlueZones to discuss how eating a mostly plant-based diet, being active, reducing stress + other lifestyle habits cn help you live longer and better. The…

Click To Tweet

Show Highlights:

  • Get to know world-traveler Nick, who is from Minnesota but has traveled to 45 countries and 48 states in the US
  • The Blue Zones: What are they? 
  • How Nick and his brother, Dan, became interested in finding and identifying these places where mortality rates and disease rates are low, and longevity rates are higher
  • The five demographically confirmed Blue Zones: Okinawa, Japan; Icaria, Greece; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, California
  • 9 common denominators (The POWER 9) in the Blue Zones that boost longevity and help people age healthfully:
    • Move naturally: Move your body naturally every day (i.e. gardening, walking, sweeping/cleaning, swimming, chopping wood)
    • Purpose: Have a strong sense of purpose throughout life
    • Downshift: Reduce stress (try napping, meditating, having a happy hour with friends)
    • 80% rule: Stop eating when you’re 80% full
    • Plant-slant: Eat mostly plants and include beans into your regular diet. Meat in moderation
    • Wine at 5: Moderate alcohol consumption and preferably with friends
    • Belong: A sense of belonging and faith (all religions count)
    • Loved ones first: Put family first (keeping parents and grandparents nearby; commit to a life partner)
    • Right tribe: Have social circles in your life
  • How Nick is bringing the Blue Zones to US communities with policy change, purpose, accessible and affordable healthy food systems, policies to reduce tobacco use, lower obesity rates, engagement among citizens to eliminate isolation, and healthier places to live, work, pray, and play
  • How Nick collects data, does research, formulates policies and outcomes, and rallies people in forming committees to achieve common goals
  • How we can eat a more Blue Zone-like diet by reducing meat portions, adding more vegetables, and using beans consistently for protein
  • Nick’s favorite recipe in The Blue Zones Kitchen: Sardinia Minestrone–and the amazing family story behind this recipe
  • Why people in the Blue Zones have a different perspective on eating carbohydrates
  • How Nick has learned the importance of gardening from his time in the Blue Zones
  • How exercise and movement, social engagement, and healthy foods have contributed to lower rates of dementia in the Blue Zones, along with a special tea made with dandelion, oregano, and thyme
  • Five things we can do to live a “Blue Zone life”:
    • Set up your environment to make the healthy choice easier
    • Be a dependable, supportive, and attentive friend
    • Have intentionality around your sleep habits
    • De-convenience your life so that you take extra steps throughout the day
    • Volunteer to use your skills and passions to give back to your community
  • How kids in Blue Zones eat with their families and eat the same foods as the adults
  • Nick’s advice for eating like you live in a Blue Zone: “Eat food that’s good for you, tastes good, is easy to prepare, and is affordable.” 

Resources:

Connect with Nick:

Blue Zones Website

Books by Nick Buettner:

The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100

The Blue Zones via lizshealthytable.com

Connect with Liz Weiss

Author, Color, Cook, Eat! coloring book series

Website: Liz’s Healthy Table

Listen to my Podcast

Read my Blog

Liz’s Podcast Posse on Facebook. Stop by and ask to JOIN!

Have a question about the show or a suggestion for a future show? Ask away by posting a comment below or joining my Podcast Posse

For other podcast episodes, check out:

SATISFY; Healthy Recipes That Hit the Spot with Mona Dolgov
A New Vision for Healthy Eating in 2021 with Maya Feller, MS, RD
The Power of Potatoes with Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN

Liz’s Healthy Table Podcast Episode #98: Ekua Walker, NP: Raising Resilient Kids and Nurturing Families During the Pandemic and Beyond

BY Liz Leave a Comment

On this week’s show, we’re talking about raising resilient kids and nurturing families during the pandemic and beyond. Through good nutrition, a regular mealtime routine, and help from today’s guest, Ekua Walker, NP, we’ll provide tools for keeping kids strong and on track during tough times.

Love the LHT podcast?
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and post a review
Subscribe on Stitcher and post a review

Raising resilient kids and nurturing families via lizshealthytable.com

Ekua Walker, NP is a pediatric child development nurse and CEO (chief encouragement officer) who lives and practices in the San Francisco Bay area. Ekua works with families of young children and teens with a range of challenges, including ADHD, communication delays, and disabilities that impact learning.

She is board-certified in primary care pediatrics; she also hosts the podcast, Moms Changing the World, where moms of all kinds from all over the world find encouragement, tools, and inspiration to raise world-changers, one child at a time, one day at a time. On today’s show, we discuss the importance of established routines, helping kids stay focused, and re-establishing social skills after the pandemic, and we explain how good nutrition and routines can help with anxiety.  

“We learned how much we took for granted when the pandemic brought its disruptions to our lives.”

– Ekua Walker, NP

 

Tune in to Liz’s Healthy Table #podcast for my interview w/ Ekua Walker, RN about helping kids get back on track and reduce anxiety with regular routines, good nutrition, joyful mealtimes, less multi-tasking, and just being there

Click To Tweet

Show Highlights:

  • Ekua’s life in the Bay area, where she works in a large specialty pediatrics practice, partnering with parents for the treatment and management of many problems for kids; she’s the mom to two girls, ages 7 and 10, hosts the Moms Changing the World podcast, and loves Zumba
  • What’s come out of the disruption of routines due to the pandemic
  • The mental health impact of the pandemic for children and young people
  • How we can use coping strategies like mindfulness and awareness and making space for the feelings
  • How parents can be the calming influence when a kid’s stress level is escalating
  • Why children need their parents to “just be there” above all else, even in the middle of stressful situations
  • Why downtime and rest are necessities for kids and adults
  • One habit that helps promote attention and focus is single-tasking instead of multitasking
  • What family meals look like at Ekua’s house
  • Ekua’s family background as immigrants from Ghana; her culture has carried over into her cooking
  • The importance of sleep for focus; manage light and screens and use natural sources of melatonin
  • How cooking together with kids can be a powerful teaching tool and help develop their social skills
  • Anxiety: what it is, how it’s common to people of all ages, and foods that can help
  • Ekua’s podcast, in which she talks to moms who are changing the world in interesting ways

Resources:

Connect with Euka Walker:

Website: Moms Changing the World

Podcast: Moms Changing the World Podcast

Facebook Group: Moms Changing the World FB Group

Liz's Healthy Table Podcast Episode #98: Ekua Walker, NP: Raising Resilient Kids and Nurturing Families During the Pandemic and Beyond

Connect with Liz Weiss

Author, Color, Cook, Eat! coloring book series

Website: Liz’s Healthy Table

Listen to my Podcast

Read my Blog

Liz’s Podcast Posse on Facebook. Stop by and ask to JOIN!

Have a question about the show or a suggestion for a future show? Ask away by posting a comment below or joining my Podcast Posse

For other podcast episodes, check out:

SATISFY; Healthy Recipes That Hit the Spot with Mona Dolgov
A New Vision for Healthy Eating in 2021 with Maya Feller, MS, RD
The Power of Potatoes with Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN