Jeanette's Healthy Living

Where delicious and healthy come together

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • List of All Recipes (alphabetical)
    • Breakfast
    • appetizers
    • soups
    • salads
    • main courses
    • side dishes
    • dips and sauces
    • beverages
    • smoothies
    • Desserts and Cookies
  • Special Diets
    • gluten-free
    • dairy-free
    • vegetarian
    • vegan
    • Liquid/Soft Food Diet
    • Pureed Food Diet
    • Low Residue Diet
  • Cancer Cooking
  • Faith
  • Healthy Living
    • Healthy Living
    • travel
  • About
    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Work With Me
    • Media Features
    • Terms & Conditions

Healthy Dinner Menu

October 6, 2010 by Jeanette 10 Comments

Jump to RecipePrint Recipe
55 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Yummly

braised chicken with fig balsamic vinegar glaze

I was trying to come up with a healthy dinner menu this past week when I came upon Tiffin Tale’s menu for a Fall Harvest Dinner that she entered for a food blog challenge. What perfect timing! Tiffin Tales has amazing pictures and recipes, so I knew I couldn’t go wrong.  My goal was to come up with a menu for the cooler weather that was hearty but healthy.

I used organic ingredients where ever possible.

I decided to make a Farmer’s Market Corn Chowder, Braised Chicken with Fig Balsamic Glaze, and Sauteed Rainbow Chard. From Tiffin Tales’ menu, I chose the Wild Mushroom Bolognese Polenta Gratin, and Artichokes Braised in Olive Oil and White Wine. For dessert, I turned to my trusty Cancer-Fighting Kitchen cookbook by Rebecca Katz, and decided on fresh Strawberries with Mango Coconut “Sabayon.”

Here are the recipes for this healthy dinner menu:


Farmer’s Market Corn Chowder

Adapted from Deborah Madison’s Vegetable Soups cookbook.  All the vegetables came from the local farmer’s market.

2 ears sweet corn, shucked and cooked for 5 minutes (about 2 cups of kernels)

4 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 celery stalk, diced
1 onion, finely diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into ½ inch cubes
½ red pepper, diced into ½ inch cubes
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup low-fat milk
2 ears sweet corn, shucked and cooked for 5 minutes (about 2 cups of kernels)
salt and pepper, to taste

Cut corn kernels off the cobs; reserve cobs. Heat chicken broth, reserved corn cobs, bay leaf and thyme in a large saucepan. Simmer while preparing the rest of the ingredients. Remove cobs before using broth.

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the celery, onion, potatoes, red pepper, garlic, and smoked paprika. Saute until vegetables are just soft. Stir in flour and cook 2-3 minutes.

Add ½ cup of broth to vegetables, loosening any vegetables from bottom of the pot. Gradually add remaining hot broth to vegetables; stir in milk and corn kernels. Remove thyme sprig. Season with salt and pepper.

braised chicken with fig balsamic vinegar glaze

Print

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH FIG BALSAMIC VINEGAR GLAZE

Course Main Course
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 415 kcal

Ingredients

  • 14 tablespoons fig balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 3 shallots thinly sliced
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • parsley minced for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring the vinegar, broth, honey and tomato paste to a boil, stirring well. Simmer the vinegar sauce until reduced to ½ cup, about 8 minutes.

  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper; add half of them to the skillet. Cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining breasts.

  3. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to skillet. Add garlic and shallots, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the wine; boil until reduced to ¼ cup. Add the vinegar sauce and bring to a simmer.

  4. Return the chicken to the skillet. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes; turn over and cook another 10 minutes. Transfer to serving plates and spoon sauce over.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from Food and Wine’s Chicken in Red Wine Vinegar recipe; here, I’ve made the dish lighter by using olive oil and boneless chicken breast, and omitting the crème fraiche. The fig balsamic vinegar gives this dish a fruity, tangy flavor and a rich dark color.

Nutrition Facts
BRAISED CHICKEN WITH FIG BALSAMIC VINEGAR GLAZE
Amount Per Serving
Calories 415 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Fat 21g32%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 72mg24%
Sodium 129mg6%
Potassium 483mg14%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Sugar 15g17%
Protein 25g50%
Vitamin A 155IU3%
Vitamin C 3.3mg4%
Calcium 44mg4%
Iron 1.9mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

WILD MUSHROOM PORCINI BOLOGNESE POLENTA GRATIN

Print

WILD MUSHROOM PORCINI BOLOGNESE POLENTA GRATIN

Course Main Course
Keyword vegetarian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Soaking Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 394 kcal

Ingredients

Wild Mushroom Porcini Bolognese Polenta Gratin

  • 2 tablespoons dried porcini mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion peeled, chopped
  • 1 carrot peeled, chopped
  • 1 stalk celery chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 clove garlic chopped
  • 1 pound mixed wild mushrooms cleaned, trimmed, sliced
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 tomato diced
  • 1 tablespoon tamari
  • 3/4 cup porcini soaking liquid
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Polenta

  • 4 cups water
  • 1 cup polenta not instant
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese grated

Instructions

Wild Mushrooms Porcini Bolognese

  1. To rehydrate porcini mushrooms, place in a small bowl and add 3/4 cup boiling water. Soak for 30 minutes. Strain and reserve soaking liquid

  2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

  3. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add fresh mushrooms, rehydrated porcini mushrooms, and thyme sprigs; cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are almost tender, about 3 minutes. Add tomato and tamari, and cook, about 2 minutes more.

  4. Add reserved porcini mushroom soaking liquid and wine. Simmer until thickened, about 20-25 minutes (NOTE: Prepare polenta while mushrooms are simmering). Add balsamic vinegar and reduce another 2-3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set Mushroom Bolognese aside to cool.

Polenta

  1. Bring 4 cups water to boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add a pinch of salt to boiling water and slowly stir in polenta. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and immediately reduce to a simmer. Cook polenta, stirring occasionally, until no longer grainy, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in olive oil and season with salt.

Assembling Gratin

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon half of the polenta into an 8” square pan or deep pie dish. Cover with half of mushroom Bolognese. Top with remaining polenta and another layer of mushroom Bolognese. Sprinkle top with cheese.

    Bake until top is golden, about 25-30 minutes. 

Nutrition Facts
WILD MUSHROOM PORCINI BOLOGNESE POLENTA GRATIN
Amount Per Serving
Calories 394 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 2mg1%
Sodium 359mg16%
Potassium 737mg21%
Carbohydrates 52g17%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 2985IU60%
Vitamin C 8.7mg11%
Calcium 70mg7%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

SAUTEED RAINBOW CHARD

 

Print

SAUTEED RAINBOW CHARD

You can substitute any leafy green vegetable. Try kale or collard greens.

Course Side Dish
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 58 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard washed well, chopped into bite size pieces
  • 1 leek washed thoroughly, white part minced
  • 2-3 tablespoons water or vegetable broth
  • splash Ume Plum vinegar or your favorite vinegar

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in pan and saute leek 3-4 minutes. Toss in chard. Add a few tablespoons of water or vegetable broth and cover the pan. Cook until just tender, but still bright colored, about 4-5 minutes. Do not overcook. Add splash of vinegar and serve.

Nutrition Facts
SAUTEED RAINBOW CHARD
Amount Per Serving
Calories 58 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Sodium 164mg7%
Potassium 324mg9%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 4960IU99%
Vitamin C 25.2mg31%
Calcium 51mg5%
Iron 1.8mg10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

ARTICHOKES BRAISED IN OLIVE OIL AND WHITE WINE 

Print

ARTICHOKES BRAISED IN OLIVE OIL AND WHITE WINE

Course Side Dish
Keyword artichokes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 245 kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium leeks trimmed, washed well, tender parts quartered lengthwise and cut into 2" lengths
  • 2 stalks celery thinly sliced
  • 1 large onion halved, thinly sliced
  • 1 large carrot peeled, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 12 ounces frozen artichoke hearts thawed
  • 1 small fennel bulb cored, thinly sliced
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • 4 sprigs tarragon
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • half bunch pencil thin asparagus
  • 1 1/2 cup mixed green and waxed beans trimmed
  • 2 medium tomatoes finely diced
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chives or basil coarsely chopped

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet. Add the leeks, celery, onion and carrot and cook over low heat, stirring often, until softened but not browned, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

  2. Add the frozen artichokes, sliced fennel bulb, lemon juice, thyme, tarragon and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and broth, cover partially and braise over moderately low heat until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Stir in peas and cook 2 more minutes. Discard the herbs.

  3. Meanwhile, blanch the asparagus and beans separately in boiling salted water until crisp tender, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking and retain bright colors.

  4. Mound the asparagus and beans in soup plates and spoon braised artichokes and fennel on top. Scatter chopped tomatoes and fresh herbs on top.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from Tom Colicchio’s recipe as seen in Food & Wine, June 1999. To lighten the dish, I reduced the amount of olive oil. To simplify the recipe, I used frozen artichoke hearts. I also decided to braise the fennel along with the artichokes.

Nutrition Facts
ARTICHOKES BRAISED IN OLIVE OIL AND WHITE WINE
Amount Per Serving
Calories 245 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 118mg5%
Potassium 920mg26%
Carbohydrates 27g9%
Fiber 9g38%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 4970IU99%
Vitamin C 54.4mg66%
Calcium 126mg13%
Iron 4.3mg24%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

STRAWBERRIES WITH MANGO COCONUT “SABAYON”

STRAWBERRIES WITH MANGO COCONUT “SABAYON”
Print

STRAWBERRIES WITH MANGO COCONUT “SABAYON”

Course Dessert
Keyword strawberries
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 268 kcal

Ingredients

  • 14 ounces coconut milk canned
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh mango chopped
  • pinch sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 3 cups strawberries hulled, halved
  • fresh mint for garnish

Instructions

  1. Put coconut milk in a saucepan and stir until homogeneous. Stir in the mango and salt and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat until the mango is soft, 15-20 minutes.

  2. Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor. Add agave nectar and lime juice, and blend until smooth. Spoon over fresh organic strawberries and serve garnished with mint if desired.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from Rebecca Katz’s Cancer Fighting Kitchen cookbook

Nutrition Facts
STRAWBERRIES WITH MANGO COCONUT “SABAYON”
Amount Per Serving
Calories 268 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Fat 21g32%
Saturated Fat 18g113%
Sodium 14mg1%
Potassium 487mg14%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 14g16%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 685IU14%
Vitamin C 87mg105%
Calcium 42mg4%
Iron 3.8mg21%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

More Braised Chicken Recipes:
Food Floozie’s Cider Braised Chicken
Trade Recipe’s East African Braised Chicken 
Eye for a Recipe’s Roman Style Chicken

Anticancer Ingredients: Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Swiss Chard, Carrots, Celery, Artichoke Hearts, Fennel, Asparagus, Garlic, Onion, Leek, Mango


Wild Mushroom Porcini Bolognese Polenta Gratin
Sauteed Rainbow Chard
Artichokes Braised in Olive Oil and White Wine
Fresh Strawberries with Mango Coconut “Sabayon”
Related Posts
Filter by
Post Page
side dishes Summer Recipes ENTERTAINING Meal Planning Pantry Recipe Resources Recipes Healthy Living soups Instant Pot Holidays Christmas Clean Eating Breakfast gluten-free healthy choices Easter
Sort by
75 Summer Side Dish Recipes

Healthy Summer Side Dish Recipes

2020-07-01 00:45:50
jeanette

18

Healthy Pantry Meal Plan One

Healthy Pantry Meal Plan #1

2020-03-18 01:00:10
jeanette

18

healthy pantry recipes

Healthy Pantry Recipes

2020-03-10 01:00:24
jeanette

18

Healthy Instant Pot Soup Stew Recipes

Healthy Instant Pot Soup and Stew Recipes

2020-01-13 05:00:32
jeanette

18

Healthy Christmas Holiday Salads - lighten up your Christmas holiday menu with one or more of these festive healthy salad recipes

Healthy Christmas Holiday Salad Recipes

2019-12-12 05:00:42
jeanette

18

Bacon Egg Potato Casserole © Jeanette

Healthy Bacon Egg Potato Breakfast Casserole Recipe

2019-04-15 05:00:21
jeanette

18

Weekly meal plan April 8

Healthy Meal Plan ( April 8 – April 14)

2019-04-07 00:00:22
jeanette

18

Weekly meal plan April 1 - April 7

Healthy Meal Plan ( April 1 – April 7)

2019-03-31 00:00:17
jeanette

18

Weekly meal plan mar 18

Healthy Meal Plan ( March 18 – March 24)

2019-03-17 00:00:03
jeanette

18

Healthy Meal Plan ( March 11 – March 17)

2019-03-10 00:00:07
jeanette

18

55 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Yummly

Filed Under: Cooking For Cancer, Desserts and Cookies, Dinner, healthy choices, main courses, side dishes, soups, vegetables Tagged With: healthy menu

« How To Cook Beans
Chimichurri Sauce Recipe »

Comments

  1. Christina says

    October 7, 2010 at 10:25 am

    Wow, those all sound and look amazing! Love your blog, I am always looking for good healthy recipes!

    Reply
  2. Jeanette says

    October 7, 2010 at 10:40 am

    Hi Christina, you have some great recipes on your blog! Look forward to sharing healthy recipes with you.

    Reply
  3. sweet artichoke says

    October 9, 2010 at 1:11 am

    What a great meal! I can't resist mushrooms with polenta and love all the veggies added along with the porcini 🙂
    Thanks for your nice comments on my blog.
    Regarding the kitchuri, I have never used brown rice, but planning to use brown basmati rice that I have just bought. I supppose the only difference is to cook the rice until slightly mushy, which might involve the grains to split. Apart from the fact that it won't look nice, I am sure it will taste nice 😉

    Reply
  4. Lisa says

    October 11, 2010 at 4:04 am

    What great healthy recipes. They all look so good that I'd definitely crave those foods instead of junk food or fast food.

    Reply
  5. Jeanette says

    October 11, 2010 at 7:59 am

    Thanks Lisa, I hope you have a chance to try a few recipes.

    Reply
  6. Anonymous says

    October 24, 2010 at 8:22 pm

    Wow, great looking food. Love the porcinis. Will try the chicken with figs.

    Reply
  7. Jeanette says

    October 27, 2010 at 10:18 pm

    Fig balsamic vinegar adds some natural sweetness. Hope you like it.

    Reply
  8. Heena (Tiffin Tales) says

    January 20, 2012 at 11:56 pm

    Wow!! That sounds like an amazing meal! I’m glad I was able to help in a small way : )

    Reply
  9. Lisa says

    April 1, 2012 at 8:51 pm

    Braised chicken was absolutely delicious. thank you!

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      April 1, 2012 at 10:08 pm

      Lisa, thank you for the feedback – so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi! I'm Jeanette - welcome! Step into my kitchen, where you'll find healthy dishes packed with flavor and goodness.

[Read More …]

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Get Your Free e-Book!

Weekly College Meal Planner

Good recipes come to those who subscribe!

Archives

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Copyright © 2016 Jeanette's Healthy Living · Privacy Policy
55 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Yummly