Healthy Recipe – Light Pea Soup

iStock_000016167939SmallLisa Corrado, a long-time resident of New Canaan, is the owner of Lisa Corrado Nutrition  and author of a Moment in a Busy Life blog. This week, she shares a Light Pea Soup, which tastes like spring in a bowl. Low-fat and packed with flavor from yummy spring foods like peas and mint. Feel free to use fresh peas if you have them, otherwise the frozen works just fine.
Light Pea Soup
Makes about 1 1/2 quarts.
¾ cup diced onions
¾ cup diced leeks
½ cup chopped scallions
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 ½ cups frozen peas, thawed
5 cups reduced-sodium vegetable stock
½ cup chopped chives
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
In a large saucepan, sauté onions, leeks and scallions in olive oil until onions are translucent.
Add garlic and peas and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes
Add chives and mint and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Using either a stick blender or regular blender carefully puree mixture until smooth (don’t forget it’s hot).  Season with salt & pepper.
Download the printable Light Pea Soup PDF  [http://lisacorradonutrition.com/recipes/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Light-Pea-Soup.pdf]

Featured Recipe – Pistachio Crusted Salmon

WS-Pistachio-Salmon-5Lisa Corrado, a long-time resident of New Canaan, is the owner of Lisa Corrado Nutrition  and author of a Moment in a Busy Life blog. This week, she shares a  super-easy recipe is special enough to serve for company. Reap the anti-inflammatory benefits of the wild salmon, olive oil and pistachios. It’s so delicious, you’ll forget how healthy it is. Serves 4
Pistachio-Crusted Salmon 
Marinade:
½ cup white wine
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 (5 ounce) wild salmon fillets with the skin on
1 cup finely chopped pistachios 
Preheat oven to 400º. Mix marinade ingredients in a non-reactive bowl (glass, Pyrex). Add salmon, turn to coat and marinate for 10 minutes. After removing the salmon, reserve the marinade. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat, in a large non-stick sauté pan. Sauté the fillets, skin-side up until seared, 2 – 4 minutes. Remove fillets and place on a foil-lined baking sheet, skin-side down. Lightly brush with marinade. Press chopped nuts on tops of fillets and spray with a little olive oil. Bake for 4 – 8 minutes, until salmon is cooked to desired doneness and crust is golden.
WS-Pistachio-Salmon-1WS-Pistachio-Salmon-2WS-Pistachio-Salmon-3WS-Pistachio-Salmon-4

Super Bowl Side – Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread


iStock_000021952159Small (1)Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
Lisa Corrado, a long-time resident of New Canaan, is the owner of Lisa Corrado Nutrition  and author of a Moment in a Busy Life blog. This week, she shares a great cornbread recipe that will be perfect for your Super Bowl Chili. You can make this cornbread as hot or not as you like. Heck, leave the jalapeños out if you want. What she loves about this recipe is that it is much lower in fat than regular cornbread and very delicious. It freezes well too.
Serves 8 – 10
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 eggs
¾ cup plain nonfat yogurt
½ cup sweet potato purée (try baby food)
1/8 cup canola oil
2 jalapeños chopped (remove seeds for milder heat)
1 cup shredded part-skim sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
Preheat oven to 350º. Prepare an 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan by spraying with cooking spray, or lightly oiling with oil. In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, eggs, yogurt, sweet potato and oil until frothy. Stir in jalapeños and ½ cup cheese. Sift the dry ingredients together into a smaller bowl. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just mixed. Pour into prepared baking pan. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve hot or at room temperature.