Homemade, Healthy & Tasty

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Simple dishes that are not only delicious but nutritiously satisfying.

Now that we have had our fill of donuts and latkes it is time to focus on getting back to those homemade healthy meals that are not only delicious but nutritiously satisfying. Here are some of our favorite easy and simple dishes that are all about good, healthy and tasty food.

Meat Eggplant Rollantini

Almost like a meat lasagna, this rolantini just substitutes the pasta for some mouth-watering eggplant. A great dish to make in advance and keep in your freezer for when you need a terrific healthy dinner quick & fast.

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp. fresh crushed garlic
  • 1tsp. cumin
  • 1tsp. oregano
  • 1tsp. basil
  • 1 tsp. thyme
  • 1/2 lb ground beef (I use lamb sometimes)
  • 1/2 lb ground turkey
  • Kosher salt
  • Pinch of black pepper

For the Tomato Sauce:

  • 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup diced onion
  • 2 tsp. fresh crushed garlic
  • 1 tsp. curry powder
  • 2 cups canned, crushed tomatoes
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped basil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Kosher salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp. sugar (or 1 packet Splenda)

Trim eggplant. Cut lengthwise into slices about ½ inch thick. Transfer to a colander and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Let stand for about 10-15 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Wipe salt and exuded liquid off eggplant and rub on both sides with 4 tablespoons of the olive oil. Lay eggplants flat on baking sheet and bake until completely tender, turning once. Set aside.

In a large frying pan over med-high heat, sauté the onions in about 2-3 tbsp. of olive oil. When the onions begin to wilt, add the garlic, cumin, oregano, basil and thyme and mix well. Sauté for another few minutes until the onions are soft, and then add the ground beef and turkey to the onions. With the flat part of the wooden spoon, start mixing and breaking the meat into little chunks, while incorporating the onions and spices into mixture. Cover the pan for about 3 minutes and let cook. Uncover, and again with the wooden spoon break the meat chunks into small pieces; sauté for another minute and remove from flame and let cool.

While the meat is cooling, prepare the tomato sauce. In a small sauce pan on med-high heat, sauté the onions in the olive oil. Add the garlic, and curry to the onions and mix well. Sauté the onions for another 3-4 minutes or until they have softened and then add the crushed tomatoes. Bring the tomatoes to a simmer and then add the basil, bay leaf, salt and pepper and mix well; bring back to a low simmer. Remove from flame and mix in the sugar.

Assemble the rollantini:

Take the cooled eggplant and lay flat on work space. Using a spoon, place a nice heaping dollop of meat mixture in the center of the eggplant. Fold or roll the eggplant over the meat mixture and then place seam side down onto a sprayed 9 x 13 baking dish. Repeat with remainder of the meat and eggplant.

When all the rollantinis have been assembled, pour the tomato sauce generously over top, place into hot oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot.

Striped Bass with Artichokes and Olives

This Striped Bass dish is the perfect meal to ease you into the habit of preparing yourself good nutritious meals that do not have to be bland and boring. Yes it does take a little effort to put this meal together, but the key word here is LITTLE!

And what is a little effort for a BIG reward: eating something that is outrageously tasty, totally satisfying and is good for you. It doesn’t get better than that!

  • 4 skinless filets of striped bass or other mild white fish like flounder
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
  • 5 cloves minced garlic
  • 4 tblsp olive oil
  • 1/2 whole wheat baguette, or 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
  • 1 pkg frozen artichoke hearts or 1 can of artichoke hearts, sliced
  • 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
  • 1/2 container grape tomatoes

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Remove zest from the lemon with a microplane grater, and combine with parsley, garlic, 2 tblsp olive oil and 1 tsp salt in processor. Pulse and gradually add the bread until its coarse crumbs (if using crumbs, you can chop parsley and garlic and combine well with bread crumbs, zest, oil and salt)

Spread the bread crumbs in a 9×13 baking dish and arrange vegetables around the edges. Bake until bread crumbs are toasted and browned, and then scoop out crumbs to a bowl and add the fish to the baking dish. Top the fish with the bread crumbs, drizzle with some olive oil and bake until fish is cooked through and vegetables roasted, between 15-25 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish. Serve with lemon wedges.

Mediterranean Tuna Pita

This Mediterranean Tuna Pita was something I use to make all the time. For some reason I have not made it in ages, but it is really just the perfect quick and easy lunch. I love the addition of the sweet crunchy apples in my tuna salad. It is a really terrific twist to a delicious and tangy tuna sandwich.

Tip: I use this dressing for a myriad of dishes. I find it works particularly well as a marinade for tilapia, salmon or tuna steak.

If you are not interested in eating any type of bread – this tuna salad also works its magic on a simple bed of crispy iceberg lettuce!

  • 2 whole wheat pitas, halved
  • 1 can of dark tuna
  • 1 green apple, peeled & diced
  • 1 Asian red pear, diced
  • ½ cup shredded carrots
  • ½ avocado, diced (optional)
  • 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce

For Dressing:

  • 1 heaping tbsp. mayonnaise (lite is fine)
  • 1 tbsp. sweet teriyaki
  • 1 tsp. spicy Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp. ginger powder
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder

Warm up your pita breads in the microwave oven for 30 seconds and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, mash your tuna and then add all the apple, pear and carrots. Mix gently with a spoon. Stuff the whole wheat pitas with shredded lettuce and then add your tuna mixture and top off with sliced avocado.

For the dressing: In a small bowl, add all your dressing ingredients and mix well with a fork till well combined. Pour over your tuna in pita and enjoy!

For more great recipes visit Kosherstreet.com

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