Harvest veggies.
POTTSTOWN PA – There’s no need to sacrifice favorite Thanksgiving holiday side dishes just because you live with dietary restrictions. Representatives of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center (PMMC), 1600 E. High St., say it’s possible to cook healthier versions of delicious sides and enjoy them as much, if not more, than the originals.
During November, the Health eCooking™ pages of the hospital’s website feature a video in which French Chef Yves Vacheresse makes a harvest vegetable side dish that can be prepared days in advance. In fact, Vacheresse believes it tastes better when stored covered for a couple of days in the refrigerator. The video, produced for PMMC by New Jersey-based Baldwin Publishing, also demonstrates how to safely dice root vegetables like beets and rutabagas.
Turning high-fat favorites into diabetes-friendly and heart-healthy dishes is easy, according to hospital marketing director Deb Bennis. All it takes, she says, is a few simple changes using everyday ingredients found in local grocery stores.
Here’s the Vacheresse recipe for “Harvest Vegetables:”
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp safflower or grapeseed oil
1 small Spanish onion, peeled and diced small
2 medium rutabagas, peeled and diced small
4 medium parsnips, peeled and diced small
4 large carrots, peeled and diced small
2 large yellow or striped beets, peeled and diced small
3 medium turnips, peeled and diced small
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced small
2 cups homemade chicken stock
1 sprig fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped finely
Pinch of salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Heat oil in large saucepan on medium heat. Add onion. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes until soft and translucent. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Add all root vegetables and apples. Mix with onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add thyme, sage, bay leaf and stock. Season with salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium low and cook for 40 to 45 minutes until vegetables are soft. Serve warm. Yield: 8 servings.
Nutrition facts (per serving):
Calories 176; Fat 4 g; Saturated fat 1 g; Cholesterol 2 mg; Sodium 207 mg; Carbohydrates 34 g; Fiber 8 g; Protein 5 g.
Photo supplied by Pottstown Memorial Medical Center
