Yummy Recipes, Menopause Makeover APPROVED!

Featured Guest Chef, Dana Slatkin

Recipe #1: Roasted Halibut with Fennel-Tomato Sauce
Recipe #2: Asparagus Egg White Omelet

After two years listing my personal favorite recipes honoring The Menopause Makeover food pyramid, I am thrilled to dedicate this section to guest chefs and their favorite recipes, entertaining ideas, and healthy cooking tips. Our first featured guest is Dana Slaktin, chef of the famous Shutters on the Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, California, and author of The Summertime Anytime Cookbook.

Dana gradated from the Culinary Institute of America, and has worked in acclaimed kitchens in France and New York. She launched the Beverly Hills Farmer’s Market and has her own line of food products. Successfully combining elegance with delicious easy-to-prepare dishes that are healthy, Dana lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three gorgeous children.

Dana Slatkin’s cookbook, The Summertime Anytime Cookbook, can be purchased at The Menopause Makeover Store, click here.

Check out Dana’s website: www.DanaSlatkin.com

Recipe #1: Dana’s roasted halibut with fennel-tomato sauce recipe is easy to make and absolutely delicious. This roasted halibut recipe is high in protein, and low in fat. Serve with steamed greens and you have a perfectly balanced meal that is low in calories that will honor your Menopause Makeover.

Roasted Halibut with Fennel-Tomato Sauce
This dish satisfies a protein craving without leaving you lethargic, even on the steamiest night. Don’t be deterred by the long list of ingredients. Once they have been assembled, they can be left simmering on the stove while you relax or prepare the rest of the meal. Toasting the spices for a few minutes in a dry pan over medium heat will intensify their flavors. The result is an alluring light sauce that complements any white-fleshed fish.

Serves 8

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus a small amount for cooking the fish
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium leeks, chopped
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 small fennel bulb with greens, chopped
4 pounds ripe plum tomatoes (about 14), seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon mustard seeds, toasted
2 bay leaves
Pinch of red pepper flakes
3 star anise, optional
2 cups white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
8 (6 to 8-ounce) skinless halibut fillets (preferably thick)

1. Prepare the fennel-tomato sauce: In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, leeks, and garlic and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the fennel bulb and greens and sauté until wilted, a few more minutes. Add the tomatoes, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and star anise. Add the wine and enough broth to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes until slightly thickened. Strain through a fine- mesh sieve into another saucepan, season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside. The sauce can be made up to this point and refrigerated overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 350’F.

3. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof sauté pan, heat a thin film of olive oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Cook the fish until nicely browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until fish is opaque at the thickest part (test with the tip of a knife).

4. Return the sauce to a simmer. Whisk in the cubes of butter, one at a time, until incorporated.

5. Ladle a generous amount of sauce into warm serving bowls; gently place the fish on top, and serve.

Recipe #2: Another fabulous favorite from Dana’s cookbook, Asparagus Egg White Omelet, will kick the day off with a low calorie, high protein blast leaving you feeling full for hours!

Asparagus Egg White Omelet

The trick to making an omelet look like the professionals do is a well-oiled pan and adequately whipped egg whites. Add some diced vegetables from last night’s dinner or your favorite cheese for extra kick. Serve it with fresh fruit, breakfast potatoes or a simple mixed green salad.

Makes 2 omelets

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 asparagus spears, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 large egg whites
2 tablespoons chopped chives

1. In a small nonstick pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus and cook, tossing gently, until tender but still crunchy. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with a fork until frothy. Add the chives and season the mixture generously with salt and pepper.

3. Using the same nonstick pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Pour half the egg-white mixture into the pan and, using a spatula, quickly draw the edges to the center so that the omelet cooks evenly. Reduce the heat and continue cooking until egg-whites are set but still creamy.

4. Spoon half of the asparagus in the center of the cooked egg-whites and leave on the heat for a half minute or so longer. Using a spatula, fold the omelet toward one edge of the pan, giving the pan a light tap to loosen the omelet. Slide the omelet onto a warm serving plate.

5. Repeat the process for the second omelet. Serve immediately.

Thank you Dana for sharing your elegant and yummy recipes!

hungrygirlLisa Lillien, founder of HungryGirl.com, will be our next guest “foodologist!” Lisa’s guilt-free recipes can be found in her upcoming book, 200 under 200. Yep, that’s 200 hundred recipes, under 200 calories! During the menopause transition, every calorie counts. Lisa is a hungry girl like the rest of us, but she has managed to create sinful recipes that are low calorie and tasty, so you can meet your food goals. Lisa’s new easy-to-use cookbook, 200 under 200, can be purchased at The Menopause Makeover Store, click here.

51svJGyrQNL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU01_Check out Hungry Girl’s website and purchase her first book, Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World. Hungry-Girl.com

This entry was posted in nutrition. Bookmark the permalink.