Tarragon is a prominent herb in French cooking, and is considered very suitable for chicken. Its flavor is similar to anise, and since the fresh herb is very strongly flavored, it should be used sparingly. I wanted to make the classic dish of tarragon chicken, but I don’t like sauces poured over my meat so was curious to see if I could use a similar combination of flavors to brush, then bake the chicken breasts. I really liked the result – moist, tender chicken breasts nicely flavored with olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic and tarragon. And making it this way is easier than the classic recipe.
If you can’t get fresh tarragon, or are not fond of the anise-y flavor, any fresh herb would do – I’m thinking that rosemary, for example, would be fabulous.
Click for the recipe
In the pantry: Barilla whole-grain penne pasta, olive oil, and a large can of whole peeled tomatoes. In the fridge: almost-past-its-prime-basil. The result: a delicious, fresh-tasting chunky tomato sauce that works great with short pasta.
Click for the recipe
In this easy Thai chicken recipe, succulent chicken pieces are sautéed in fragrant coconut oil and flavored with a delicious, creamy, mildly spicy sauce of coconut milk, almond butter (healthier than peanut butter), garlic and ginger. Do use the full-fat coconut milk in this recipe – it imparts so much more flavor and creaminess, and coconut fat is a very healthy fat.
Click for the recipe
Sole is a mild fish, which means I don’t like it as much as I like salmon, but my kids agree to eat it, which is a big plus, and it’s also one of the least mercury-toxic fish, so that’s good too.
This simple preparation of pan-fried sole uses a minimal amount of sweet butter to enhance the sole’s naturally delicate flavor. Rather than pouring warm butter-lemon sauce over the fried fish, as traditional recipes suggest, I prefer to serve the fried sole with lemon wedges and allow diners to squirt a little lemon juice on top of their fish right before they eat it – this helps ensure a crispy, non-soggy fish.
Click for the recipe
Butter and sage impart wonderful flavors upon an already-delicious salmon steak. I love the fatty, rich taste of salmon, and although it is not a low-calorie fish, it’s very healthy and an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.
This is one of those dishes where the protein is really the star of the show, so don’t try to make any fancy sides to go with it – a simple green salad or a crisp steamed veggie would be perfect, and would balance out the fattiness and intense flavor of the salmon.
Click for the recipe
I love the flavor of pork chops, but the texture can be a problem, as pork chops can become dry quite easily. The two-step method below, of searing first then finishing them in a hot oven, works well with thick, 1-inch cuts, and produces juicy, flavorful chops. Choose bone-in chops for maximum juiciness – boneless chops dry out faster.
But are pork chops healthy? Pork chops are high in protein, and are a good source of iron and thiamine. The main issue with pork chops is their size – most are quite large. My solution is to cook them with a minimal amount of added fat, and to balance the meal out by serving them with a simple green salad or a steamed veggie, avoiding starchy or fatty side dishes and rich sauces. I find that seared and roasted pork chops are very flavorful and don’t need any sauce, especially because the way I cook them, they are nice and juicy. I suspect that many pork chop sauces were created over the years to mask tough, dry meat, back when pork was not as safe as it is today and guidelines for cooking pork said to cook it to well-done.*
Click for the recipe
One of my family’s favorite high-protein breakfasts is steak and eggs, so obviously I wanted to find a way to make it quick. I achieve this by using lean, thin-cut sirloin tips. Because it’s a very lean cut of meat, it can be dry and chewy, unless very thinly cut (1/4-inch thick) and quickly fried as cutlets, which is what I do. A quick sear on each side in a hot skillet – 30 seconds or so per side – is all it takes, and despite being a “lesser” cut in terms of texture, sirloin tips are very flavorful. On a bed of arugula, the egg yolk provides all the sauce one needs, and the combination makes a very filling, tasty, and high-protein breakfast that keeps me full for hours.
Click for the recipe
I'm Vered DeLeeuw, a blogger, a foodie and a mom. Welcome to Healthy Recipes, my food blog and the only cookbook I use. I'm so excited to share it with you. Bon appetit!
