Holiday Recipes to Keep the Family Healthy & Happy

By Kimberly Maloomian, RD, LDN

Top Amateur Rider and registered dietician Kimberly Maloomian shares with TPH  healthy dish recipes to help keep you and your family feeling healthy & happy this holiday season!

Holiday Menu:

Each recipe serves 4 people

  • Wild caught Salmon (or Artic Char) with West Indian Spice Blend
  • Super Grains with Pomegranate, Cucumber and Feta
  • Greens Salad with Lemon

Wild Salmon with West Indian Spices –

Depending on where you are in the country you will have access to Norwegian, Scottish, Icelandic, Pacific or Atlantic wild salmon. The omega profile in wild salmon is much better than what is found in farm raised salmon, because farm raised salmon does not eat food which fish would find in the wild (ie ground bones and corn), this makes the nutrient profile of farm raised salmon not live up to expectations.

 

Ingredients for Wild Salmon:

  • 1-1.25 pounds wild salmon
  • 1-2 teaspoon WIB mix (see below)
  • Lemon slices or 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

Ingredients for West Indian Spices (makes 1 cup mix in empty jar):

  • 3 tablespoons Curry Powder
  • 2 tablespoons Ground Cumin
  • 2 tablespoons Ground Allspice
  • 3 tablespoons Paprika
  • 2 tablespoons Ground Ginger
  • 1 tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
  • 2 tablespoons Salt
  • 2 tablespoons Ground Black Pepper
  • 2 tablespoons Turmeric

Instructions: Sprinkle seasoning over salmon, lay lemon slices over the top or drizzle with lemon juice. Cook salmon at 375 degrees (in oven in pyrex baking dish) or put on the grill (either on top of a soaked cedar plank or right on the grill bars). Salmon will take approx. 20-25  minutes to cook.



Supergrains with Pomegranate, Cucumber and Feta –

The supergrain mix is quinoa, millet and buckwheat, a high fiber trio with protein and minerals galore. Quinoa and millet are actually seeds (nt grains) but are treated like grains when cooking.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Supergrain mix (I found this at Whole Foods – you could also purchase all three items independently under the ‘Bob’s Red Mill’ brand)
  • 2 cups water
  • Seeds from 1 pomegranate (this is messy endeavor and amounts to approx. 1 cup if you buy seeds pre-shelled)
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary chopped
  • 4-6 oz feta cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: Boil water, add supergrain mix, and cook 15 minutes until grains are soft and liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. When grains are cooked, pour into a bowl, mix in all other ingredients. Serve immediately or chill for a cold side dish.

Greens salad with lemon –

There are so many wonderful greens on the market today. I personally like to do this salad with a mix of baby kale and arugula, but baby spinach, spring mix or romaine would work just as well. If you are looking for a real adventure use mustard greens which will be slightly spicy in taste!

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups loose packed baby kale leaves
  • 2 cups loose packed arugula leaves
  • 3 tablespoons blood orange olive oil* or extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper
  • ½ teaspoon stone ground mustard
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ¼ teaspoon dried mint

Instructions: Mix greens in a big bowl. Whisk the rest of the ingredients together then pour over greens and toss to cover.  If you want cheese on this salad I recommend manchego, it is also good with thinly sliced fennel and tomato added.

*Flavored oils can be found in boutique olive oil and vinegar shops all over the country some of my favorites are: Temecula Olive Oil Company, Naples Olive Oil Company (FL), Mt Dora Olive Oil Company (FL), Olive del Mondo (RI)

 

What more holiday help?

CLICK HERE to learn the unhealthy eating habits you can kick this holiday season, with Kimberly’s article  “Avoid these 7 Deadly Sins at the Holiday Dinner Table”

 


Kimberly S. Maloomian, RD, LDN, has been the lead dietitian at The Miriam Hospital’s Center for Bariatric Surgery (R.I.) for the last seven years. She also consults for the State of Rhode Island’s Early Intervention program, which serves underprivileged and disabled children ages 0-3. She serves as the public policy coordinator on the board of Rhode Island’s Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and has been invited to speak at Metabolic Surgery conferences across the country on the topics of nutrition and eating behaviors. An active competitor in the amateur-owner and adult amateur hunter rings, as well as in dressage at levels 1 & 2, she works with the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association as the co-coordinator for the WCHR Northeast Region and as a member of the Hunter Breeding Task Force’s Sallie B. Wheeler Hunter Breeding Championships subcommittee.

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