As Seen on City Cooks with Simi Sara

Purple Pomegranate Smoothie
Serves 1

An excellent color of purple, this antioxidant superstar Smoothie is a mini meal in a glass. Loaded with berries, cinnamon, and pomegranate, one sip feels like a party in your mouth. Warning: this stuff stains like crazy. Drink sitting down, or invest in one of those portable stain removers if you’re on the go. You want to drink the purple power, not wear it.

½ cup (125 mL) pomegranate juice
1 cup (250 mL) frozen mixed berries
¼ cup (60 mL) French vanilla probiotic yogurt
½ tsp (2 mL) cinnamon

Whirl everything in a blender. Drink.

Each serving contains: 210 Calories, 1 g Total Fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 75 mg Sodium, 47 g CHO, 6 g Fiber, 6 g Protein.

Double Chocolate Muffins

Makes 12 servings

Don’t let the pumpkin in the recipe mislead you. These muffins don’t have the faintest hint of pumpkin flavour. They are chocolate all the way.

Wet Ingredients
1 cup (250 mL) buttermilk
1 cup (250 mL) pure pumpkin purée
1 cup (250 mL) dark brown sugar
½ cup (125 mL) oat bran
1 omega-3 egg

Dry Ingredients
1 cup (250 mL) whole wheat flour
¾ cup (175 mL) ground flaxseed
½ cup (125 mL) natural cocoa powder
2 Tbsp (30 mL) cinnamon
1 ½ tsp (7 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped dark chocolate; M & M’s baking bits, or mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C.) Line a muffin pan with paper cup liners.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together all the wet ingredients. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using a fork or a wire whisk, mix together all the dry ingredients.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
5. Scoop into muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until done.

Each muffing contains: 200 Calories, 5 g Total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 180 mg Sodium, 38 g CHO, 5 g Fiber, 6 g Protein

Awesome Lentil and Rice Salad

Makes - 5 cups (1.25 L) or 4- 1 ¼ cup (300 mL) servings

Okay, there are a lot of ingredients in this salad, but it’s not as scary as it looks. I’ve made the method a one bowler, throw all ingredients into one bowl and toss. Easy, squeasy and the best part it’s a total meal in one bowl.

1 Tbsp. (15 mL) lemon zest
¼ cup (50 mL) lemon juice
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. (5 mL) Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. (1 mL) cinnamon
Pinch of cayenne
1 - 19 fl oz. /540 mL can lentils, drained and rinsed
2 cups (500 mL) cooked long or short grain brown rice
1 cup (250 mL) coarsely chopped fresh parsley, loosely packed
¾ cup (175 mL) diced red onion
½ cup (125 mL) currants
½ cup (125 mL) dried cranberries
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) finely chopped fresh mint

1. In a large bowl whisk together lemon zest, juice, olive oil, Dijon, cinnamon and cayenne. Add drained and rinsed lentils. Toss.

2. Toss in brown rice till just combined.

3. Add parsley, red onion, currants, dried cranberries and mint. Toss till just combined. Serve. Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Each 1 ¼ cup (300 mL) serving contains:

400 Calories, 8 g total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 200 mg Sodium, 65 g CHO, 14 g Fiber, 12 g Protein

The Smith’s House Recipe for the Harried Mother
Makes - 5 cups (1.25 mL)
Serves - 4 - 1 ¼ cup (300 mL) servings

I make this when I’m tired, starving and slightly crabby; which according to my teenage son, is most days.

2 cups (500 mL) cooked long or short grain brown rice
2 cups (500 mL) fresh or frozen peas, thawed
¼ cup (50 mL) lite peanut sauce
½ cup (125 mL) unsalted peanuts
¼ cup (50 mL) chopped green onion

1. Put rice in a large microwave able container with a lid, sprinkle with 2 tbsp. Water, cover with lid and microwave @ 80% for 3 minutes or until hot. Stir in thawed peas and peanut sauce. Microwave on 60% for 2 minutes or until hot.

2. Divide rice equally between 4 plates. Sprinkle each with 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) peanuts. Sprinkle each with 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) green onion. Serve.

Each 1 ¼ cup (300 mL) serving contains:

280 Calories, 12 g Total Fat, 2 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 80 mg Sodium, 36 g CHO, 6 g Fiber, 10 g Protein.

Sensational Salmon with Mango Salsa
Serves: 4
Kid Friendly

This UHEP original is a classic. The salsa makes the grilled fish go to another level, which is chef-speak for, “Feel the love.”

Salsa
1 large ripe mango, diced
½ red pepper, diced
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) lime juice
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) finely chopped chives
¼ tsp. (1 mL) red pepper flakes

1 - 13 oz. (370 g) salmon fillet

1. In a bowl mix together the diced mango, red pepper, lime juice, chives and the red pepper flakes.

2. Cover and set aside for up to 1 day in advance. If you’re making this the day ahead, refrigerate it. If not it's okay to leave it on the counter, covered for up to 30 minutes.

3. Heat indoor or outdoor grill on high.

4. Cut the fillet into 4 equal pieces.

5. Cook the salmon on the grill until just cooked. Avoid cooking the living daylights out of it. Most people don't like fish because they had a bad overcooked fillet experience. Cook it just until the meat starts to flake easily. This should take about 5-10 minutes per side depending on how thick the fillet is.

6. Serve with the mango/salsa mixture on the top of each fillet.

Each serving contains

210 Calories, 10 g Total Fat, 2 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 55 mg Sodium, 11g CHO, 1 g Fiber, 19 g Protein

Quinoa Pilaf
Makes - 4 cups (1 L)
Serves - 8 - ½ cup (125 mL) servings
Kid Friendly

I have a huge peeve with the supermarket people. I can’t find anything. I’m fairly convinced there is a plot going on that makes you have to go on a scavenger hunt every time you go to a different store. One store will have say, quinoa in the cereal aisle, because, hello it is. Yet another store will have it in the baking section, why? I have no idea. Is it because if you grind it up it would be flour? It’s enough to make a girl want to yell at the produce guy, oh yeah, I’ve already done that, see Sweet Potatoes page 177 in Ultimate Foods for Ultimate Health for a cross reference, oh dear off on another tangent….

1 cup (250 mL) whole grain quinoa
2 tsp. (10 mL) cumin
1 tsp. (5 mL) coriander
2 stalks celery, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups (500 mL) lower sodium chicken stock

1. Place quinoa in a strainer and rinse well. Place in a medium pot that has a tight fitting lid.

2. Add cumin, coriander, celery, carrots, onion and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, cover, let stand for 5 minutes and serve.

Each ½ cup (125 mL) serving contains:

110 Calories, 1.5 g Total Fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 120 mg Sodium, 20 g CHO, 3 g Fiber, 5 g Protein

Make this vegetarian by substituting lower sodium vegetable stock for the chicken stock