Submitted by Lutheran Hillside Village
It’s that time of year again, where delicious temptations and family feasts are right around the corner. However, for many this marks the beginning of a struggle to enjoy Thanksgiving while remaining healthy. Executive Chef Mark Shoopman at Lutheran Hillside Village Senior Living Community can help by sharing myths and facts of holiday foods, as well as a healthy recipe of his own.
Myth: During the holiday season there is not enough time to use fresh ingredients.
Fact: Good food does not require a complicated recipe. “Simple, fresh, and affordable ingredients are readily available at your local supermarket. Most have simple ways of preparing them that take no time at all,” Mark says.
Myth: Pre-packaged foods make cooking simple and healthy.
Fact: “While it may be simple, most likely it’s not healthy,” says Mark. “Convenience foods at the supermarket can be full of additives and preservatives that do the body harm. Take for example, cream of mushroom soup going into that green bean casserole… it may be simple but it has over 800 mgs of sodium in it! Foods such as these are okay in moderation, but anything high in fat or sodium should be carefully enjoyed, and supplemented with fresh foods.
Myth: Cranberries are a superfood!
Fact: “While fresh cranberries are a fantastic food on their own, be aware that they are generally loaded with lots of sugar and extra calories when jellied into a sauce,” says Mark. “Look for fresh-made cranberry relish when shopping.”
Autumn Apple Salsa
By Certified Executive Chef Mark Shoopman of Lutheran Hillside Village.
Ingredients
2 c Honey crisp apples, finely diced (may use your favorite sweet apple)
¼ c Sweet red pepper, finely diced
¼ c Sun dried cranberries, can use fresh roughly chopped
¼ c Sweet orange pepper, finely diced
¾ c Fresh cilantro, chopped
½ c Red onion, finely diced
1 Tbsp Fresh ginger root, minced
3 tsp Seasoned rice wine vinegar (or raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar)
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Tbsp Fresh garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Brown sugar
2 Tbsp Honey
3 tsp. Jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced (more or less to desired heat)
1 Fresh lime, hand squeezed
Dash of sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
Step 1 — Combine the honey, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, brown sugar, olive oil, and ginger in a non-metallic bowl.
Step 2 — Gently fold in all the remaining ingredients except the salt and pepper. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.
Step 3 — Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve chilled with crisp tortilla chips, or it goes great over roasted turkey, grilled chicken, pork, or seafood!
Lutheran Hillside Village is a Lutheran Senior Services community. For more information, visit LutheranHillsideVillageLiving.org or call 309-692-4600.