Sun’s out..let’s grill!

SO excited for some sunny, spring weather! Grilling is a healthy way of cooking and a great opportunity to relax and spend time with friends and family. This recipe is easy, delicious and easy to modify to suit a small to a large group!

Grilled Chicken Chops (serves 4)

Prepare a dry spice rub using oregano, garlic powder, black pepper and other herbs/spices of choice (no added salt). Set aside ½ of the mixture for later use and ½ to season the meat.

Prepare marinade/sauce: ½ cup extra virgin olive oil with ½ cup fresh lemon juice and mix vigorously. Set aside ½ of the mix to make the serving sauce. 3 lbs. of fresh chicken pieces, skin on (drumsticks, thighs). Instead, you could use one large whole chicken, cutting the chicken into pieces. Separate each drumstick, thigh, drummette and wing. Then, cut the body into pieces of similar size using a butcher knife or cleaver. In a large bowl, tray or pan, thoroughly wet all the chicken pieces on all sides using ½ of the marinade. Then, coat the wet chicken pieces with ½ of the dry rub in the same bowl, trying to coat them as evenly as possible on all sides. For added flavor, allow the seasoned chicken to marinate for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator, removing about 30-45 minutes before cooking.

Mix the remaining dry rub and marinade together to create the serving sauce. Grill or broil the chicken pieces over high heat. If grilling, make sure the chicken is high enough over the coals and you turn frequently to avoid flare-ups. Add a dash of salt to both sides of the pieces as they cook. Covering the grill in between turning the pieces will help ensure the chicken gets cooked all the way to the bones. If the chicken is getting too burnt or you are not sure if cooked through, you can microwave the pieces a little to serve them hot and/or ensure thorough cooking.

Have 20 minutes?

In consideration of everyone’s crazy busy schedules, this recipe takes only about 20 minutes to make, and is a nutrient rich meal. Pork is a high-quality and lean protein food. Mushrooms are high in antioxidants, selenium and vitamin D. Brussels sprouts (aside from being so delicious sauteed in olive oil!) are a good source of fiber. Brown rice is a good source of niacin (vitamin B3) and magnesium, thiamin (vitamin B1) and iron. And, red bliss potatoes are a good source of vitamin C and potassium. We put the after photo first to prove its deliciousness.

 

 

We used:

One package of white mushrooms

2 cups of brown rice (instant or slow cook will both work)

8 small red bliss potatoes

4 thinly sliced pork chops

One small package of frozen brussels sprouts

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

Rosemary, salt, red pepper flakes, and of course olive oil!

One or two…or ten lemons

What to do: 

Start with the brown rice, add water as needed (usually one cup to one cup of rice) and let simmer on stove top

Chop the mushrooms into eights

Chop the potatoes into quarters

Once the rice has cooked, toss in the mushrooms and parmesan, two tablespoons of olive oil, and let sit while preparing the rest of the meal

Make the rub for the pork chops by drizzling olive oil over the meat and rubbing with rosemary and salt to taste

Saute the bliss potatoes (saute the potatoes first, they take a bit longer) and brussels sprouts in olive oil with a little salt to taste, add red pepper flakes to taste…and after cooked, squeeze lemon juice over for a super tangy taste that offsets the red pepper really nicely!

Saute the rosemary marinated pork chops (we used the same pan as the brussels sprouts and potatoes) for just about 2 minutes on each side

And serve! This fed three adults, all of whom split (and fought over) the last pork chop…

Seltzer water with fresh lemons paired perfectly with this quick and healthy meal!

 

 

 

 

 

Connecticut Fire Academy Uses Our Healthy Meeting Guide! Go CFA!

Recently, William DeFord, Recruit Program Coordinator at the Connecticut Fire Academy made the “village-style Greek Pites” (Spanakopites and Prasopites) from “Sample #1” of our Healthy Meeting Guide, for a Physical Training Guest Day. “We made Spanakopides and added Dr. Kales extra garlic suggestion! The feedback on these was outstanding, but the Leek version (Prasopites) seemed better. Perhaps the next time I make them I will balance the greens a little better (this was a strong flavor),” said William.

He also added two different types of skewers, inspired by Lunch Sample #2. “One included greek style olives and cheeses drizzled with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), and the other was made of cheeses, grape tomatoes, and basil,” William explained.

The spread featured Greek yogurt, local honey, raw walnuts, fresh blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, hard-boiled eggs, multi-grain toast with all-natural nut butter, 100% orange juice, 100% Pomegranate/berry juice combination (the only one available), Greek Pites, and the two different styles of skewers. “This was great post-workout re-fuel and I hope that you have the strong sense of our interest in your continued contributions to our collective success. We deeply appreciate what you are doing . . . and, as in the case of our program last week, we will continue to show you “by doing.” Overall, this seemed well-received for our second formal version of the Guest Day, and we will look forward to making even greater advancements at the next one,” exclaimed WIlliam.

 

Mediterranean Diet Tops the List of Best Diets…again.

U.S. News and World Report evaluated and ranked the 40 diets with input from a panel of health experts. To be top-rated, a diet had to be relatively easy to follow, nutritious, safe, effective for weight loss and protective against diabetes and heart disease. The Mediterranean diet tied with the DASH diet for the top spot.

Retrieved from US News.com

 

 

A firefighter favorite recipe!

Try this delicious, healthy turkey chili…deemed one of our Firefighter Favorites Recipes!

Turkey-Cannellini Bean Chili

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 cup red onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper, deseeded and chopped (or other mild heat pepper of your choice) 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1⁄4 pounds of lean ground turkey
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon of chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper
1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium tomatoes, diced OR 1 can of diced tomatoes, with liquid
2 cups of low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock/broth OR water
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh parsley (and/or cilantro)
6 lime wedges
Cilantro, optional, for garnish
Fresh sliced jalapeño pepper, optional, for garnish

Method:

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat; add onion, poblano pepper, garlic, and ground turkey, and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently to break up turkey into a crumble, and until cooked through.
2. Stir in tomato paste, and caramelize (approximately 2 minutes); add chili powder, oregano, cumin, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add the beans, diced tomatoes and liquid, and add the stock/broth/water, stirring to fully combine.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes. Stir in parsley and/or cilantro, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with lime wedges.

Five Small Steps to Improve Your Health!

For those of you experiencing chilly weather and lots of snow…try this hearty and heart-healthy dish!

Bifteki – Greek Style Burgers: By Chef Maria Loi

What We Need:

3/4 lb lean ground beef ¾ lb ground turkey

2 small red onions

1 tomato

1 garlic clove, grated on a microplaner (or very finely minced)

1 egg ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs (unseasoned)

Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing dried oregano, to taste salt and pepper to taste

What We Do: On the large holes of a box grater, grate the onions and tomato into a large mixing bowl. Add your garlic, egg, and extra virgin olive oil, and season to taste with pepper, and oregano and very lightly with salt. Add the ground beef and half the breadcrumbs, mixing thoroughly to just combine, being careful not to overwork the meat (this will result in a tough and dense burger). If the mixture is too loose, continue to add the rest of the breadcrumbs until the mix solidifies. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow the mix to rest and the flavors to marry. Form the mixture into rounded patties the size of your choice, brush with olive oil, and season lightly with salt and with pepper to taste. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add a touch of olive oil just to coat the pan, and cook the burgers for 2 minutes per side to sear and lock in flavor. Remove from the sauté pan to a parchment lined sheet tray, and bake at 375 F for approximately 20 minutes for medium doneness, with an internal temperature of approximately 140 F. (You can continue cooking according to your taste and doneness preference or grill or pan-fry the burgers). When the burgers are cooked to your liking, remove from the oven and allow them to rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Season with a touch of dried oregano, and serve with a fresh green salad – ENJOY!

Firefighter Ray Cooney (FDNY ret) Host of FIREHOUSE Kitchen TV Show and Chef Maria Loi…a Dynamic Duo!

Big thanks to Firefighter Ray Cooney (FDNY ret) Host of FIREHOUSE Kitchen TV Show and Chef Maria Loi for bringing great Greek food and “Survival Mediterranean Style” to NYC’s Bravest at http://www.fdnyfoundation.org/fightforacure/

Greek Meatballs!

Have you ever tried Keftedakia (Greek Meatballs)? They are healthy and delicious, easy to make and a hearty meal that will prepare you for a long shift. Chef Maria Loi created this recipe just for firefighters. Try them in your firehouse and send us pics!

Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
1 medium white or Spanish onion
1 large tomato
2 garlic cloves, minced or mashed
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (no stems)
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup of chopped kalamata olives
¼ cup of chopped green olives
½ cup of feta, crumbled
1 lemon, zested
2 eggs
1 cup of wholewheat breadcrumbs, as needed
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling on the meatballs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds ground turkey/chicken
Feta-Yogurt sauce, for serving – Recipe to follow
Olive-Caper Tapenade, for serving – Recipe to follow

Method:
1. Purée the onion in a food processor. Transfer the onion to a large bowl. Grate the tomato on the largest
holes of a box grater and add it to the bowl.
2. Add the garlic, tomato paste, parsley, oregano, olives, feta, lemon zest, eggs, ¼ cup of olive oil, and salt and
pepper to taste. Add ½ cup of breadcrumbs, mixing well; add the rest gradually as needed. Add the ground
meat and mix it in with two forks. Be careful not to overwork the meat so your meatballs will be light and
fluffy. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Using a teaspoon, a tablespoon, or an ice cream scoop, depending on how large you want your meatballs,
form meatballs. (Alternatively, you can accurately portion the meatballs by evenly spreading the meat mixture
on a 9 x 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Using a paring knife, slice this into sections—whatever size you’d like
the meatballs to be. Remove each uniformly sized portion one at a time, and form into meatballs.) Try not to
over-handle the meat mixture, since the less you handle it, the lighter and fluffier the meatballs will be.
5. Transfer the meatballs to the lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or
until browned. Watch them carefully to make sure they don’t over-bake. Serve the meat