Recipes submitted by employees of Mental Health Connecticut
MHC is proud to present this recipe e-book that is full of recipes submitted from our very own staff! As part of the wellness initiative, staff were encouraged to enter their favorite healthy recipe so that great ideas could be shared by all. Part of what makes eating healthy so hard is that it can be tedious and ideas on how to make food interesting and healthy can be hard to come by.
Please enjoy these recipes and Happy Cooking!
Special Thanks to Our Contributors: Angela Bergeron, Danbury Office Jackie Davis, Administrative Office Elissa Fairley, Employment Services – Waterbury & West Hartford Trista Genova, Independence Center Deborah Holcomb, Independence Center Hollen Monroe, Administrative Office Yaizaimar Puchi, Employment Services –Waterbury Kathy Thompson, Torrington Office Chelsea Thornton, Administrative Office Elizabeth Wilson, Stamford Office Fatime Yusuf, Independence Center
Breakfast Apple Cinnamon Shake Submitted by Hollen Monroe, Administrative Office Ingredients 1 banana 1 apple ½ cup skim or low fat milk (add more if you like your shakes thinner) ½ cup plain Greek nonfat yogurt ¼ to ½ tablespoon of cinnamon 1. Add banana slices and peeled apple slices to a blender. 2. Add in milk and yogurt, then top with cinnamon. 3. Blend until pureed. TIP: It doesn’t have ice in it so it can be made the night before.
Chicken Soup to Soothe the Soul Submitted by Elizabeth Wilson, Stamford Office Ingredients 12 chicken tenders 3 Tbsp minced garlic 4 dashes Mrs. Dash garlic and onion 2-3 dashes of white pepper 4 - 32 oz. boxes low sodium and fat free chicken broth 1 bag baby carrots, diced (approx. 2025 carrots)
1. Cube the chicken and season with Mrs. Dash and white pepper. 2. In a large pot, saute chicken with minced garlic until cooked and lightly brown on all sides. 3. Add 2 boxes of broth with carrots, herbs, paste, and dried ginger and stir until paste is dissolved.
2 Tbsp freeze dried ginger pieces
4. Add additional 2 boxes of broth and bring to boil.
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
5. Lower heat to simmer for 10 minutes.
2 Tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
6. Add cooked noodles and stir. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped 3 Tbsp ginger paste 3 Tbsp cilantro paste 3 Tbsp garlic paste 3 Tbsp basil Paste ž of 12 oz. bag of cooked wheat egg noodles
7. Serve hot.
Healthy (EASY) White Bean Chicken Chili Submitted by Chelsea Thornton, Administrative Office Ingredients 3 Skinless Chicken Breast 1 Medium Onion
1. Heat coconut oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Cook chicken, onion, and garlic in hot oil until the chicken is browned completely, 3 to 5 1 Tablespoon of Coconut Oil (can substiminutes per side. tute for avocado or olive oil) 3. Remove the chicken to a cutting board, cut 3 Cans of Cannellini Beans into 1-inch pieces, and return to the Dutch oven; add cannellini beans, oregano, and 1 Tablespoon dried Oregano cayenne pepper. 1 Teaspoon of Chili/Cayenne Powder 4. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook un¼ Cup of Chopped Cilantro til the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. Salt and Pepper to Taste 1 Tablespoon of Minced Garlic
½ Monterey Jack Cheese Low Fat Sour Cream (optional) ½ of an Avocado (optional)
5. Ladle chili into bowls, top with cilantro, Monterey Jack Cheese and a small dollop of Sour Cream or Avocado.
Chicken Florentine Salad Submitted by Deborah Holcomb, Independence Center Ingredients 1 pound of Orzo Pasta 1 jar sundried tomatoes packed in Olive Oil 1 large bag of baby spinach 1 jar of Pine Nuts/ Pignoli 3 cups or more of Chicken Cooked 3 slices of crumbled bacon (optional) 1. Roast pine nuts in oven at 350° for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Keep and eye on them, they burn quickly! Let cool. 2. Cook your Orzo according to package directions. Let cool. 3. Mix all your ingredients together and save the oil from the tomatoes and add some to your salad as well. 4. Serve with salad dressing or without, it’s pretty flavorful. Balsamic is good, or an Italian. Enjoy! TIP: This recipe is better made the day before it is served, since it is a cold pasta salad.
Turkish Stuffed Peppers Submitted by Fatime Yusuf, Independence Center Ingredients 6 bell peppers 1 pound ground beef 1 or 2 Zucchini (chopped) 1 pack Mushrooms (chopped) 5 medium sized onions (chopped) 2 cups carrots (chopped) Paprika (to taste) Salt (to taste) Pepper (to taste) Crushed Red Pepper (if you like heat) 1 bag rice (rinsed well) Olive oil 1. Cut the tops of the bell peppers enough where you can stuff the ingredients in with a spoon, clean out the seeds from the peppers and place them aside, discard the tops of the peppers and the seeds. 2. Pre heat oven to 350°. 3. On a stir fry pan, brown meat 4. Add in all chopped vegetables with your dried ingredients 5. Add in olive oil about 2/3 cups, saute vegetables for about 3 minutes add in the rice and stir fry for about 7 minutes. 6. Take the pan off the stove top. 7. Stuff the peppers with the mixture ensuring you push some all the way down and is completely full. 8. Place the peppers stuff side up in a pan (preferably if you have a roasting pan with a top) 9. If there is any mixture left, place into the dish around the stuffed peppers, drizzle olive oil on the peppers 10. Cover the pan and bake for 1 hour.
Greek Turkey Burgers Submitted by Jackie Davis, Administrative Office
Ingredients Tzatziki Sauce
1/3 cup chopped red onion (optional)
1 container (6 oz) Greek Fat Free plain yogurt (save half for burger)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion (optional)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice Burgers 1 lb lean ground turkey 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (4 oz)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped Toppings 4 whole wheat burger buns, split (any burger bun can be substituted) Optional add ons - Tomato, lettuce, bacon, onion, cucumber
1. In small bowl, mix 1/2 cup of the yogurt and remaining sauce ingredients; refrigerate until serving. 2. Heat grill. 3. In medium bowl, mix all burger ingredients and remaining yogurt. 4. Shape mixture into 4 patties, about 1/2 inch thick. 5. Place patties on grill over medium heat. 6. Cover grill; cook 8 to10 minutes, turning after 5 minutes, until meat thermometer inserted in center of patties reads 160°F. 7. Place burgers on buns; top with sauce and desired toppings.
Hummus w/o Tahini Submitted by Angela Bergeron, Danbury Office
Ingredients 1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas, drained Fresh lemon juice (Start with juice of ½ lemon and add to taste) Ÿ cup of olive oil 1 garlic clove, peeled (or more, for more garlic flavor) Optional: 1/8 teaspoon (or less) red pepper flakes, crushed 1. Put ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. 2. Taste and add more lemon juice or garlic if needed. 3. Chill in a covered container. 4. Garnish with parsley.
Lentil Minestrone Submitted by Elissa Fairley, Employment Services – Waterbury & West Hartford Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus a little extra 1. Heat the oil in a wide soup pot with the onion. Saute over high heat, stirring to finish) frequently, until lightly browned, about 10 2 cups finely chopped onion minutes. 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2. Add the tomato paste, parsley, garlic, ¼ cup chopped parsley vegetables and 2 teaspoons salt and cook 3 minutes more. 4 garlic cloves, chopped 3 carrots, diced 1 cup diced celery or celery root Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 cup French green lentils, sorted and rinsed Aromatics: 2 bay leaves, 8 parsley branches, 6 thyme sprigs (I often put in dried thyme and it still works) 9 cups water or stock (veggie or chicken) Mushroom soy sauce or regular soy sauce to taste 1 bunch greens-mustard, broccoli rabe, chard or spinach 2 cups cooked small pasta-shells, orecchiette, or other favorite shape Thin shavings of Parmesan, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
3. Add the lentils, aromatics, and water and bring to a boil. 4. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. 5. Taste for salt and season with pepper. If it needs more depth, add mushroom soy sauce to taste, starting with 1 tablespoon. (The soup may seem bland at this point, but the flavors will come together when the soup is finished.) Remove the aromatics. 6. In a separate pot, boil the greens in salted water until they’re tender and bright green, then chop them coarsely. 7. Just before serving, add the greens and the pasta to the soup and heat through. Serve with extra virgin olive oil drizzled into each bowl, a generous grind of pepper, and the Parmesan.
Turkey Veggie Meatloaf Cups Submitted by Trista Genova, Independence Center Ingredients 2 cups coarsely chopped zucchini 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onions 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped 1 pound extra lean ground turkey 1/2 cup uncooked couscous 1 egg 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1/2 cup ketchup, or as needed Salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C). Spray 20 muffin cups with cooking spray. 2. Place zucchini, onions, and red bell pepper into a food processor, and pulse several times until finely chopped but not liquefied.
3. Place the vegetables into a bowl, and mix in ground turkey, couscous, egg, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper until thoroughly combined.
4. Fill each prepared muffin cup about 3/4 full. 5. Top each cup with about 1 teaspoon of ketchup. 6. Bake in the preheated oven until juices run clear, about 25 minutes. Internal temperature of a muffin measured by an instant-read meat thermometer should be at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
7. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
TIP: You can omit the egg and they will still come out great!
Shredded Beet and Carrot Salad with a Touch of Heat Submitted by Kathy Thompson, Torrington Office Ingredients ¼ cup lemon juice ¼ cup orange juice 3 tablespoons olive oil Dash of salt and ground pepper to taste 5 medium carrots 3 beets peeled (red or golden or both) 1 medium jicama (diced) ½ jalapeno pepper (if you want to add some heat) 1. Mix the lemon juice, orange juice and olive oil along with salt and pepper in a bowl. 2. Shred all the vegetables either using a grater or food processer. 3. Toss the vegetables in a bowl with the juice mixture and serve.
Baked Tunisian Carrot, Potato, and Tuna Frittata Submitted by Yaizaimar Puchi, Employment Services –Waterbury Ingredients ½ pound boiling potatoes, peeled and cut in small dice (about 1/2 inch) ¾ pound carrots, peeled and cut in small dice (about 1/2 inch) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 large garlic cloves, mashed with a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle or finely chopped 2 teaspoons caraway seeds, ground Salt freshly ground pepper to taste 1 tablespoon harissa dissolved in 2 tablespoons water, or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1 6-ounce can of olive oil-packed light tuna (not albacore), drained and broken up with a fork ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 8 large eggs
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. 2. Steam the potatoes and carrots above 1 inch of boiling water until tender, about 10 minutes. 3. Place the oil in a 2-quart baking dish or a 9-inch cast iron skillet. Rub the oil over the sides of the pan, and place in the oven. 4. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a large bowl. 5. Whisk in garlic, caraway, salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) and pepper to taste and harissa. 6. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, tuna and parsley. 7. Remove the baking dish from the oven, scrape the egg mixture into the hot baking dish and place in the oven. 8. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until lightly colored on the top and set. 9. Allow to cool for 10 minutes or longer before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.