April 13, 2020
Every spring is filled with holidays and the hope of a new season. Spring 2020 is also filled with lots of home cooking as Albertans and people around the world band together to stop the spread of COVID-19.
We’ve pulled these recipes from the Alberta Health Services’ archives for your home-cooking pleasure. All come together quickly and use widely available ingredients. And each comes with a wish: we hope you and your family enjoy them.
Do you have a food question you wanted answered? Send it to us at healthy.together@ahs.ca.
Dependable carrots pack big taste and lots of nutritionals value: vitamin A (beta-carotene), potassium and fibre.
Dependable carrots pack big taste and lots of nutritionals value: vitamin A (beta-carotene), potassium and fibre. Vitamin A is essential for good vision and immunity (preventing disease).
Ingredients
2 tsp (10 ml) coconut oil
1½ tsp (7 ml) black mustard seeds (optional)
10 fresh curry leaves (optional)
1 diced jalapeño
3 cups (750 ml) green cabbage, chopped
6 large carrots, grated
1 cup (250 ml) grated coconut (fresh or frozen)
1 tsp (5 ml) turmeric
½ tsp (2½ ml) freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Heat the oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves and cook until the seeds begin to pop and splutter, about 30 to 60 seconds. Add the jalapeño, cabbage, carrots, coconut, turmeric and pepper and stir to mix well. Cover with a lid and cook on low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Serves 8.
The Lowdown
Per serving: 80 calories, 5 g total fat (4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 40 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 3 g fibre, 1 g protein.
This meal takes only a few minutes to assemble — the oven does the rest of the work. It will also fill your kitchen with a comforting aroma that draws your family in to see what’s for dinner. Make a double recipe and freeze have for next week.
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups (375 ml) white and wild rice blend
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, diced
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 tsp (10 ml) butter, cut into bits
2 cups (500 ml) no-sodium-added chicken stock
pepper, to taste
3/4 cup (185 ml) frozen peas
1 bay leaf
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375ºF (180ºC). Spray a 9 x 13-inch (33 x 23 x 5 cm) casserole dish with nonstick spray and spread rice over the bottom. Scatter carrots, celery and bay leaf on top and add chicken thighs. Dot with butter and pour on stock. Sprinkle with pepper. Cover (use foil if your dish doesn’t have a lid) and bake for an hour. Remove from oven, remove bay leaf, add peas and cook uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes to brown chicken. Serves 6.
The Lowdown
Per serving: 300 calories, 7 g total fat (2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 140 mg sodium, 60 mg cholesterol, 37 g carbohydrate, 3 g fibre, 31 g protein.
A particularly good source of protein, lentils simply simmer on the stovetop — no soaking required — and can be added to soups or side dishes, like this hearty, wilt-proof salad. You can also “play” with this recipe, adding chopped peppers, hardy greens and other vegetables on hand.
Ingredients
1 cup (250 ml) dried small green, blue or du Puy lentils
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp (30 ml) balsamic vinegar
1 tsp (5 ml) grainy mustard
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 carrot, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1/4 cup (60 ml) red onion, finely chopped
1 cup (250 ml) flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (discard stems)
1 cup (250 ml) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
Preparation
Put the lentils, garlic and bay leaf in a medium saucepan and add enough water to cover by a couple of inches. Simmer over medium-high heat for 40 minutes, until just tender. Remove the garlic and bay leaf and drain well.
Transfer to a bowl and add the balsamic vinegar and season with pepper; toss to combine while still warm. Set aside to cool slightly. Add the olive oil, carrots, celery, parsley and tomatoes and toss to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving. Serves 4.
The Lowdown
Per serving: 320 calories, 15 g total fat, (2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 65 mg sodium, 37 g carbohydrate, 11 g protein, 9 g fibre, 26% DV for iron.
Almost any vegetable that inspires you can be transformed into a hearty chowder. Perfect for those days when you need to be warmed from the inside out.
Ingredients
Canola or olive oil, for cooking
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped (include the leaves)
1 large carrot, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) flour
4 cups (1 l) low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2-3 thin-skinned potatoes, washed and diced
1 cup (250 ml) corn kernels
2 tsp. (10 ml) fresh thyme leaves
1 cup (250 ml) milk or ½ cup (125 ml) half & half (or to taste)
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh Italian parsley
Preparation
In a medium pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Add the celery, carrot and red pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Shake in the flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Add the stock, potatoes, corn and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook until the potatoes are tender. Add the milk and cook just until heated through. Serve hot with chopped fresh parsley. Serves 6.
The Lowdown
Per serving (1/6 of recipe): 150 calories, 3.5 g total fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 5 mg cholesterol, 140 mg sodium, 27 g carbohydrate, 8 g protein, 3 g fibre, 7 g sugars. (Note: analyzed using 1% milk)
