LEDIVINE RECIPIES

How to Debone Fish

Most fillets from the freezer aisle or the fish counter come deboned. But sometimes a few pesky, minuscule bones—called pinbones—remain. And if you’re going all out and filleting a whole fish (more power to you!), you’ll need to debone along the entire length of each fillet.

First, grab a pair of fish tweezers (available at most kitchenware stores). These stainless steel fish tweezers with wide, rectangular ends are the most effective at grasping the tiny, slippery bones. Needle-nose pliers can also be used, just make sure their inner surface isn’t grooved (the bones will slip through). If you’re in a pinch, a pair of clean cosmetic tweezers will work, too.

Locate pinbones by placing the fillet skin-side down on a surface and running your finger up and down the length of it. The bones are usually towards the center of the fillet, where it gets thicker. Each needle-thin pinbone can be about a half inch long, but will be mostly buried in the fillet with only the tip exposed at the surface.

To make pinbones easier to grasp, try this quick trick: Place a small mixing bowl upside down on the counter and drape the fillet over it with the skin-side down. The curved surface will make the bones pop up. Then, gently pull each pinbone straight out.

For easy cleanup, keep a small bowl of water nearby as you work, and dip your tweezers in to discard the pinbones, which have a tendency to cling to tweezers or your fingers when you try to brush them away.

Finally, run your finger down the length of the fillet one last time to make sure you haven’t missed any. Now you’re ready to get cooking!

Zesty Mexican Soup

This spicy vegetable soup is full of flavor, and easy to prepare, and is the perfect addition to your Healthiest Way of Eating. It's a great way to incorporate a variety of vegetables into on meal and it actually gets better with time.

Zesty Mexican Soup         Prep and Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, minced

4 medium cloves garlic, chopped

2 TBS red chili powder

3 cups + 1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth

1 small to medium green bell pepper, diced into 1/4-inch pieces

1 small zucchini, diced into 1/4-inch pieces

1 cup finely chopped collard greens

1 15 oz can (BPA free) diced tomatoes

2 cups or 1 15 oz can (BPA free) black beans, rinsed

1 cup frozen yellow corn

1 4 oz can (BPA free) diced green chili

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 cup chopped pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat 1 TBS broth in a medium soup pot. Healthy Sauté onion, garlic, and green peppers in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add red chili powder and mix in well. Add broth and tomatoes. Cook for another 5 minutes and add beans, corn, green chili, oregano, and cumin.

Bring to a boil on high heat. Once it begins to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes longer. (Simmering uncovered enhances the flavor.)

Add zucchini and collard greens and cook for 5 more minutes. Add chopped cilantro, pumpkin seeds, salt, and pepper.

5 Desserts Starring Your Favorite Breakfast Cereals

1..Cracklin’ Oat Bran Oatmeal Raisin Skillet Cookie

Fans of the cinnamon-scented squares will fall hard for this cookie, in which Cracklin’ Oat Bran is mixed into the dough and sprinkled on top. Baking the cookie in an oven-safe skillet makes for a crisp exterior and soft and chewy center, which tastes best when enjoyed warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Cut into slices and serve to a crowd, or have everyone grab a spoon and dig straight into the skillet.

2..Golden Grahams Peanut Butter Truffles

These whimsical truffles are the perfect two-bite treat, and pack easily in a lunchbox for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. Thanks to their shiny chocolate coating and sprinkling of Golden Grahams, they’re also elegant enough to serve at a party as a stress-free (and mess-free!) dessert. Alternatively, divvy up into decorative cellophane bags for easy, edible presents.

3..Soft-Baked Froot Loops Sugar Cookies

Though sugar cookies are often seen as boring (or reserved for holiday baking), this Froot Loops-studded variety is anything but. Refrigerating the dough before baking helps the cookies hold their shape, and ensures each one bakes up into soft and puffy perfection. Feel free to swap in any colorful cereal: Fruity Pebbles or Trix would be just as fun.

4..Mini Honey Nut Cheerios Almond Butter Cups

Come afternoon or midnight when chocolate cravings strike, we suggest turning to these adorable two-layer cups. They’re a great way to use up the end of a box of Cheerios, which always seems to be lurking in the pantry. Allow the nutty almond butter base to firm up in the freezer as you make the chocolate topping, and store finished cups in the freezer until ready to enjoy.

Get the recipe: Mini Honey Nut Cheerios Almond Butter Cups

5..Cocoa Puffs Ice Cream Sandwiches

Cocoa Puff marshmallow treats stand in as cookies in these indulgent ice cream sammies, which are filled with Nutella and mocha-chip ice cream. The treat is frozen together as a sandwich, so all you have to do is slice and serve—no last-minute assembly required. Genius!

 Turkey and Vegetable Chili Verde

Cruciferous vegetables, like kale, are some of the most health-promoting vegetables around. This kale and turkey combination makes for a unique version of chili that is sure to become one of your favorite Healthiest Way of Eating recipes.

Turkey and Vegetable Chili Verde  Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

3 medium cloves garlic, chopped

1 lb ground turkey

1 4 oz can diced green chili

1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 TBS + 4 cups chicken broth

4 cups finely chopped kale

2 cups or 1 15 oz can (BPA-free) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2 TBS chopped fresh oregano

3 TBS chopped fresh cilantro

salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Chop garlic and onion and let sit for at least 5 minutes to enhance their health-promoting benefits.

Heat 1 TBS broth in a medium soup pot. Healthy Sauté onion in broth for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add garlic and ground turkey with a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to sauté, breaking up turkey for another 5 minutes.

Add diced tomatoes, chili, and broth to turkey mixture and bring to a boil on high heat. Stir in chopped kale, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Add beans, simmer for another several minutes and add herbs, salt, and pepper.

Super Energy Kale Soup

This quick and easy version of potato kale soup has extra vegetables for more flavor and nutrition and takes little time to prepare.

Super Energy Kale Soup      Prep and Cook Time: Prep and cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 medium carrot, diced into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1 cup)

1 cup diced celery

2 red potatoes, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

3 cups kale, rinsed, stems removed and chopped very fine

2 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp dried sage

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Chop garlic and onions and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health benefits.

Heat 1 TBS broth in a medium soup pot.

Healthy Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently.

Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.

Add broth, carrots, and celery and bring to a boil on high heat.

Once it comes to a boil reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 more minutes.

Add kale and rest of ingredients and cook another 5 minutes. If you want to simmer for a longer time for extra flavor and richness, you may need to add a little more broth.

Serves 4