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| Raw vegetables are healthier than cooked vegetables. I don’t know where this old wives’ tale originated, but cooking actually enhances the absorption of vitamins and minerals. |
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Bob Greene presents a blueprint for a lifetime of healthful eating, with detailed, easy-to-follow guidelines and 85 delicious recipes.
Price: $24.00 $16.80
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Dinner is the meal people look forward to the most. It shouldn’t disappoint and none of these entrees do. Each is exceptionally flavorful but also light, so that you don’t leave the table feeling weighed down—a feeling you especially want to avoid as your body (and your metabolism) is winding down for the day.
Spinach Penne with Spicy Roast Pepper Sauce
Use whole-wheat pasta. Jerk seasoning can be found in the spice section of your grocery store.
 Serves 2
3 red bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise, seeded, and ribs removed
2 teaspoons jerk seasoning
8 ounces dried whole-wheat penne
Salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
10 ounces fresh spinach, well washed and stems removed
1 tablespoon thinly sliced basil leaves
Grated Parmesan cheese or crumbled fresh goat cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub the inside of the peppers with the jerk seasoning. Lay them cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes or until the skin is black. Put the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until cool. Cook the penne in salted boiling water for about eight minutes. Drain and toss with two tablespoons olive oil. Rub the skins off the cooled peppers. Place the flesh in a food processor with the juices from the bowl and baking sheet, and process until smooth.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onions in the remaining olive oil for about two minutes. Add the spinach and cook until the onions are soft and the spinach is wilted. Pour the penne and the pepper mixture into the pan and cook over medium heat until the penne is completely coated with sauce. Divide between two plates and sprinkle with the basil and cheese.
Polenta with Swiss Chard and Portabella Mushrooms
Polenta provides a nice change of pace from pasta, and it’s creamy texture makes it a great (healthy) comfort food.
 Serves 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 large portabella mushroom caps, thinly sliced
1 large bunch Swiss chard, well washed, large stems removed and leaves
torn into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons water
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups low-fat, low-salt chicken stock
1/2 cup polenta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and sauté the onion and garlic until soft, about five minutes. Add the remaining olive oil and the mushrooms. Cook until soft, about three to five minutes. Add the Swiss chard and two tablespoons of water to the pan. Cover and cook until the chard is wilted, about four minutes. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and set aside.
In a two-quart saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Gradually add the polenta, whisking constantly. When all the polenta is added, lower the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring often, for about 20 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and grated cheese. Divide the polenta among four plates and top with the reserved mushroom-chard mixture. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, if desired.
Tofu and Broccoli Stir-Fry
The secret of a good stir-fry is to have all of your ingredients at hand, sliced, chopped, minced, and measured before your begin, so that you can proceed quickly. That way the end result will be vegetables that are crisp and colorful, not soggy or discolored by over-cooking. Start with the longest-cooking ingredient and finish with the bean sprouts and green scallions. Do not add all of the oil at once but as it is needed, a tablespoon at a time. Serve the stir-fry with steamed brown rice.
Serves 4
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, or 1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 cup broccoli crowns, stems sliced thinly and florets cut into small pieces
1 cup bok choy, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
1 pound firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup low-fat, low-salt chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup bean sprouts
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons sliced scallions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat until hot. Add one tablespoon canola oil and stir-fry the mushrooms. Add the sesame oil a bit at a time as you add broccoli, bok choy, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry the vegetables until they just begin to soften. Add the tofu and stock. Cover and heat through, about one minute. Finally, add the bean sprouts and stir well to heat through. Stir in the soy sauce, scallions, and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
For more dinner recipes see my book Get With the Program! Guide to Good Eating.
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